The Gabriela Women’s Party on Tuesday said the House approval of a bill addressing what it described as ‘weaknesses’ of the 23-year-old law on anti-sexual harassment as more women report new forms of sexual harassment, especially on social media.
Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas of Gabriela was referring to House Bill 8244, which they authored, that was approved on third and final reading Monday.
The bill expands the definition of sexual harassment to cover online harassment and peer-to-peer offenses, as well as imposes stiffer penalties for violations.
“The overhaul of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law or RA 7877 is long overdue as the current law lags behind the evolving forms of sexual harassment and with current penalties weak enough to act as deterrent. With a new anti-sexual harassment law, we hope to address the current loopholes,” said de Jesus.
“Unwanted sexual advances in social media will now be sanctioned under the measure, as well sexual abuses outside of the place of employment, training or schools. This is a huge gap under RA 7877 which we really need to address,” she added.
De Jesus said the measure was the product of the vast amount of sexual harassment cases received by Gabriela Women’s Party over the course of RA 7877’s implementation.
For her part, Brosas said the bill covered physical, verbal, visual and ICT-enabled sexual harassment as long as both the victim and perpetrator are connected or belonging in the same place of employment, training or education.
“This latest legislative development is a boost to our #LabananAngAbuso campaign, which we aim to amplify this month in view of the National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25,” Brosas said.
HB 8244 seeks to repeal Republic Act 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.
RA 7877 currently imposes a fine of P10,000 to P20,000 and imprisonment ranging from one month to 6 months.
HB 8244 provides stiffer the penalties to a fine of P50,0000 to P200,000. The length of imprisonment remains the same.
It also imposes a fine of P20,000 to P50,000 for those who will violate the victim’s right to privacy during the investigation, prosecution, and trial period.
Sexual harassment as defined in the bill, is “an act, which may be committed physically, verbally, visually or with the use of information and communications technology, including any other means, that would result in an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for the victim. This, regardless of the act committed within or outside the place of employment, training, or education.”
The bill mandates the employer or head of office in a work-related, education, or training institution to implement a comprehensive written policy on sexual harassment, which shall outline the detailed procedure for case investigations and the administrative sanctions. It shall be their duty to prevent the commission of sexual harassment acts.
In line with this, the employer or head of office shall 1) promulgate appropriate rules and regulations; 2) create a Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) within one year of the agency’s existence or initial operations; and 3) resolve cases within 15 days from the submission by the CODI of its report to the disciplining authority. Maricel Cruz