Valuing Women and Children, Creating a Safer Space for All

 "Valuing Women and Children, Creating a Safer Space for All"

In this day and age, women and children still get abused, harrased, and  killed for no valid reason at all. We still feel the need to protect and teach our children, that leaving your home in the night is still dangerous. This is why it is important to talk about laws that protect women and children, as an act of awareness and protection.

Some laws about the protection of women is RA 8353 (The Anti-Rape Law of 1997)， RA 7877 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995) and RA 11648(an act amending RA 8353 this acts focus on protection of women when faced with any sexual harm. As a woman, and child, I often get scolded by my parents when I get home late. This is because of the danger that a random stranger might hurt me, and worse do something unimaginable. With this laws, I feel rather safer, it does not remove or completely prevent anything bad that could happen to me, but it makes me relieved that if there is a scenario that I am ever a victim of sexual assault , the perpetrator will not get away and will be punished even if he were my spouse. 

With RA 8353 (The Anti-Rape Law of 1997), it redefines the act and crime of rape. Reclassifying it as the same as a crime against persons. It states if a man ever commits  sexual assault by entering his penis or any object into someone's genital or anal orifice, such will be considered rape. The laws also state different punishments for the crime, considering many situations, and the heaviest punishment of all, death penalty. It ensures that women and children have better protection for rape and defines the way a victim of any sexual violence can be affected. 

As ammendment the law, RA 11648 was added for providing for stronger protection against rape and sexual exploitation and abuse, increasing the age of determining the commission of statutory rape. With this law ammending RA 8353. It makes it so that the rights of children are recognized, and the need for protection from sexual abuse and exploitation. Thus, with the help of this laws, more are being pretected from sexual abuse and exploitation that defies are rights and dignity.

Lastly, we are going to talk about the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 or RA 7877. A law that values the dignity of every individual, as it enhances the development of its human resources guarantee fell respect for human rights, and ensure dignity to those in non-working

 or working fields, primarly in receiving education or training and in employee and employer conditions even if the victim is just an applicant. This makes it so that any form of sexual harrasement in the work-room or school is labeled unlawful. Making it so that perpetrators no matter the circumstance are punished accordingly by the law.

References:

Philippine Commission on Women. “Republic Acts - Philippine Commission on Women.” Philippine Commission on Women, 6 May 2022, pcw.gov.ph/republic-acts-2/.