The Philippine Embassy in London held a seminar workshop on domestic abuse awareness on 29 March 2023 as part of its Women’s Month Activities. The seminar-workshop, held at Sentro Rizal London, was facilitated by Detective Superintendent Joe Derilo, Sergeant Charina Boys, and Police Constable Danielle Noble, officers of the London Metropolitan Police of Filipino descent. The event was attended by about fifty members of the Filipino community as well as Embassy officers and staff.

The lecture focused on the need to raise awareness on domestic abuse and the ways to report incidents of violence encountered in the home. It was highlighted in the lecture that though all genders can be victims of domestic abuse, statistics show that women are twice as likely to be victims of domestic abuse than men.

The seminar-workshop provided practical advice on reporting instances of domestic abuse and tackled relevant UK legislation that provide protection to those who experience this type of abuse. The police officers also discussed the resources available for victims or potential victims of domestic abuse. During the open forum, the police officers fielded questions from the audience, who also gave their comments freely on the timely topic.

The seminar-workshop is the culmination of the Embassy’s month-long activities for National Women’s Month.