R.A. No. 7877 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act) and R.A. No. 11313 (Safe Spaces Law)

R.A. No. 7877 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act)

⤷ What is sexual harassment under R.A. No. 7877?

It covers sexual harassment committed by an employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of the employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, or any other person who, having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work or training or education environment, demands, requests or otherwise requires any sexual favor from the other, regardless of whether the demand, request or requirement for submission is accepted.

⤷ What instances of sexual harassment are covered under R.A. No. 7877?

It includes acts of sexual harassment committed in  a work-related or employment environment, and in an education or training environment.

⤷ What kinds of sexual harassment are covered?

R.A. No. 7877 covers the following:

1. Quid Pro Quo– the offender asks for something in exchange for something. This may be in the form of asking sexual favors in exchange for more favorable conditions. Basically, you are being asked to exchange sexual favors in return for receiving something.

2. Hostile environment- as a result of the act of sexual harassment, a hostile environment is created for the victim. Here, no exchange is requested, but the working or educational environment of the victim is made hostile due to the acts of sexual harassment. This may take the form of the victim being afraid to come back to work/school, or in the disrupting of their normal work/study due to the acts of sexual harassment.

⤷ Should there be a demand or request for sexual favors before it is considered sexual harassment?

No. It is true that this provision calls for a “demand, request or requirement of a sexual favor.” But it is not necessary that the demand, request or requirement of a sexual favor be articulated in a categorical oral or written statement. It may be discerned, with equal certitude, from the acts of the offender.

Likewise, it is not essential that the demand, request or requirement be made as a condition for continued employment or for promotion to a higher position. It is enough that the respondent’s acts result in creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the employee. (Domingo v. Rayala, G.R. No. 155831, 18 Feb. 2008)

⤷ Does R.A. No. 7877 look at the gender of the offender and the victim?

No. The law does not require the offender or the victim to be of any specific gender. This means that the law punishes sexual harassment committed between a man against a woman, a woman against a man, a man against another man, and a woman against another woman.

⤷ What legal remedies are available against sexual harassment?

The law provides for civil, criminal, and administrative liability on the part of the offender for acts of sexual harassment under R.A. No. 7877. Moreover, these may proceed independently of the others. The option of which remedy to avail of is based on the discretion and choice of the victim.

⤷ Until when can I file a case for sexual harassment under R.A. No. 7877?

The law provides for a prescriptive period of three (3) years. This means that any action arising from a violation of R.A. No. 7877 should be filed within 3 years from the time of commission.

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R.A. No. 11313 (Safe Spaces Law)

⤷ What does R.A. No. 11313 cover?

R.A. No. 11313 covers gender-based sexual harassment committed:

1. In streets and public spaces.
2. Online.
3. In the workplace.
4. In educational and training institutions.

⤷ What is gender-based sexual harassment in streets and public spaces?

The crimes of gender-based streets and public spaces sexual harassment are committed through any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any person regardless of the motive for committing such action or remarks.

⤷ What acts are included in gender-based sexual harassment in streets and public spaces?

It includes catcalling, wolf-whistling, unwanted invitations, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist slurs, persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person’s appearance, relentless requests for personal details, statement of sexual comments and suggestions, public masturbation or flashing of private parts, groping, or any advances, whether verbal or physical, that is unwanted and has threatened one’s sense of personal space and physical safety, and committed in public spaces such as alleys, roads, sidewalks and parks.

⤷ What are “public spaces” under R.A. No. 11313?

It refer to streets and alleys, public parks, schools, buildings, malls, bars, restaurants, transportation terminals, public markets, spaces used as evacuation centers, government offices, public utility vehicles as well as private vehicles covered by app-based transport network services and other recreational spaces such as, but not limited to, cinema halls, theaters and spas

⤷ What is gender-based online sexual harassment?

It refers to an online conduct targeted at a particular person that causes or likely to cause another mental, emotional or psychological distress, and fear of personal safety, sexual harassment acts including unwanted sexual remarks and comments, threats, uploading or sharing of one’s photos without consent, video and audio recordings, cyberstalking and online identity theft

⤷ What is gender-based sexual harassment in the workplace, and in education and training institutions?

It includes the following:

1. An act or series of acts involving any unwelcome sexual advances, requests or demand for sexual favors or any act of sexual nature, whether done verbally, physically or through the use of technology that has or could have a detrimental effect on the conditions of an individual’s employment or education, job performance or opportunities;
2. A conduct of sexual nature and other conduct-based on sex affecting the dignity of a person, which is unwelcome, unreasonable, and offensive to the recipient, whether done verbally, physically or through the use of technology;
3. A conduct that is unwelcome and pervasive and creates an intimidating, hostile or humiliating environment for the recipient.

BISAYA TRANSLATION

R.A. No. 7877 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act)

⤷ Unsa ang sexual harassment ubos sa R.A. No. 7877?
Naglakip kini sa sexual harassment nga gihimo sa employer, empleyado, manager, supervisor, ahente sa employer, magtutudlo, instructor, professor, coach, trainer, o bisan kinsa nga adunay awtoridad, impluwensya o moral nga pagdominar sa laing tawo sulod sa trabahoan, training o eskwelahan, nga nangayo, nangayo og pabor, o nagkinahanglan og bisan unsang sexual nga pabor gikan sa laing tawo, bisan pa og gidawat o wala ang maong pangayo.

⤷ Unsa nga mga kahimtangan sa sexual harassment ang sakop?
Naglakip kini sa mga buhat sa sexual harassment nga mahitabo sa:

• trabahoan o employment environment; ug
• eskwelahan o training environment.

⤷ Unsa nga klase sa sexual harassment ang sakop?

Ang R.A. No. 7877 naglakip sa mosunod:

1. Quid Pro Quo – ang nakasala nangayo og kapalit. Pananglitan, mangayo og sexual nga pabor baylo sa mas maayo nga kahimtangan sa trabaho. Basically, gipangayo ka nga maghatag og sexual nga pabor aron makadawat og kaayohan.
2. Hostile Environment – tungod sa sexual harassment, nahimo nga dili komportable o makalilisang ang palibot sa biktima. Walay klarong kapalit nga gipangayo, pero ang trabahoan o eskwelahan nahimong hostile tungod sa buhat. Pananglitan, mahadlok na ang biktima mubalik sa trabaho/eskwela o maapektuhan ang iyang normal nga trabaho/pagtuon.

⤷ Kinahanglan ba adunay klarong pangayo og sexual favor aron matawag nga sexual harassment?
Dili. While ang balaod naghisgot og “pangayo o pagkinahanglan og sexual nga pabor,” dili kinahanglan nga kini ipahayag klaro pinaagi sa sinultihan o sinulat. Mahimo kini masabtan gikan sa mga lihok sa nakasala, bahalag wala gi-istorya o gi-sulat.

Dili usab kinahanglan nga kini himoon isip kondisyon para magpadayon sa trabaho o para ma-promote. Sapat na nga ang lihok sa nakasala naghimo og makalilisang, hostile, o offensive nga palibot para sa empleyado. (Domingo v. Rayala, G.R. No. 155831, 18 Feb. 2008)

⤷ Gitan-aw ba sa balaod ang gender sa nakasala ug biktima?
Dili. Ang balaod dili nagrequire og partikular nga gender. Busa, sakop niini ang:

• lalaki kontra babaye
• babaye kontra lalaki
• lalaki kontra lalaki
• babaye kontra babaye

⤷ Unsa nga legal nga remedyo ang pwede?
Ang balaod naghatag og:

• civil liability
• criminal liability
• administrative liability

Kini nga mga kaso mahimong ipadayon nga independente sa usag usa, ug ang biktima maoy mopili unsa ang gamiton.

⤷ Hangtod kanus-a pwede mag-file og kaso?
Adunay 3 ka tuig nga prescriptive period. Pasabot, ang kaso dapat ma-file sulod sa 3 ka tuig gikan sa petsa sa nahitabo.

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R.A. No. 11313 (Safe Spaces Law)

⤷ Unsa ang sakop sa R.A. No. 11313?
Naglakip kini sa gender-based sexual harassment nga mahitabo sa:

1. dalan ug public spaces
2. online
3. trabahoan
4. eskwelahan ug training institutions

⤷ Unsa ang gender-based sexual harassment sa dalan ug public spaces?
Kini mao ang bisan unsang dili gusto ug wala giimbitar nga sexual nga lihok o komento batok sa bisan kinsa, bisan unsa pa ang motibo.

⤷ Unsa nga mga buhat ang apil niini?
Naglakip kini sa:

• catcalling
• wolf-whistling
• dili gusto nga imbitasyon
• misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic ug sexist nga insulto
• padayon nga dili giimbitar nga komento o lihok bahin sa hitsura sa usa ka tawo
• sige og pangayo og personal nga detalye
• sexual nga komento o suhestyon
• public masturbation o pagpangpakita sa pribadong parte sa lawas
• panghipo (groping)
• bisan unsang verbal o pisikal nga lihok nga dili gusto ug naghulga sa personal space ug kaluwasan

Kini mahitabo sa mga lugar sama sa eskina, dalan, sidewalk, ug parke.

⤷ Unsa ang “public spaces”?
Nagpasabot kini sa:

• dalan ug eskina
• public parks
• eskwelahan
• mga building
• malls
• bars ug restaurants
• terminals
• public markets
• evacuation centers
• government offices
• public utility vehicles ug app-based transport
• ug uban pang recreational spaces sama sa sinehan, teatro, ug spa

⤷ Unsa ang gender-based online sexual harassment?
Kini mao ang online nga binuhatan nga target ang usa ka tawo ug makahatag o posibleng makahatag og mental, emosyonal o psychological nga kadaut, ug kahadlok sa personal nga kaluwasan. Naglakip kini sa:

• dili gusto nga sexual nga komento
• hulga
• pag-upload o share sa litrato/video/audio nga walay consent
• cyberstalking
• online identity theft

⤷ Unsa ang sexual harassment sa trabahoan ug eskwelahan ubos niini nga balaod?
Naglakip kini sa:

1. bisan unsang dili gusto nga sexual advances, pangayo o demand sa sexual pabor, o bisan unsang sexual nga lihok (verbal, pisikal, o pinaagi sa teknolohiya) nga makaapekto sa trabaho o edukasyon sa usa ka tawo;
2. mga lihok nga sexual o base sa sex nga makaapekto sa dignidad sa tawo, nga dili gusto, dili makatarunganon, ug makapasakit;
3. mga lihok nga padayon ug dili gusto nga naghimo og makalilisang, hostile o makapaulaw nga palibot.