CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY THE FEMALE PERSON DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY AMIDST PANDEMIC

Abstract

The study generally determined the challenges and coping mechanism of the female Persons Deprived of Liberty or PDLs of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Cauayan City, Isabela. The study made used of qualitative narrative design and an interview guide was used to collect the data. Eight (8) female PDLs were interviewed to participate in the study. The participants during the data gathering disclosed that they had encountered challenges during pandemic. It includes weight problem and personal hygiene in terms of physical aspect, social aspect pandemic adjustment and social adaptation as the main problem. Furthermore, in interpersonal aspect they encountered were depression and boredom as their common problems. The effects of these challenges vary among the individuals because they have their ways to cope up with these problems, some of the participants thought of diversion, while others repressive coping is one of their ways to overcome their problems. Furthermore, praying or spiritual activity were the coping mechanism that can reduce their problem.  Finally, the PDL’s challenges can be overcome through social acceptance. The challenges were either helpful or harmful in the participant’s life. Moreover, the study inferred that to cope up with the prison environment the participants choose to be more active in the conduct of the spiritual activity to invite positivity in a world full of negativities.