CEDAW/C/PHI/4 English Page 76 methods and actual or perceived difficulty in obtaining these methods or devices continue to plague programme implementors. The idea that family planning programmes cater only or mainly for women, and the lack of motivational strategies to involve the men, has led to non-cooperation, which accounts for much of the failure of couples to practise contraception. 321. Other socio-cultural factors affect the decisions of women regarding their reproductive health. The association of contraceptive use with prostitution and infidelity continues to deter many women from using contraceptives without their husband's permission. On the other hand, the men fear that contraceptives would lead to their wife's promiscuity. Being a predominantly Catholic country, it is believed that the church's opposition to artificial contraception has induced guilt feelings among many women who feel they are sinning when they use methods other than those endorsed by the church. However, recent studies have shown that most women do not take into consideration their religious beliefs when it comes to family planning and that the unmet needs for services and supplies are the bigger problem. Article 16 (g) Right to choose a family name 322. Neither the Family Code nor the Civil Code explicitly states that a women can choose to retain her maiden first name and surname after she marries, thus not fully recognizing her right to choose a family name. An effort to amend the two laws is in progress with the filing of Senate Bill No. 430, an act allowing married or legally separated women to use their maiden first name and surname. 323. However, since there is also no explicit prohibition against married women continuing to use their maiden name, there are women in the country who opt to do this even after marriage. Domestic violence 324. Filipino families are undergoing changes in the composition, size, structure, support system and organization. In addition, there are indicators of ongoing family instability and disorganization (Philippine Plan for Genderresponsive Development, 1995). One important indicator of family dysfunction is the pervasiveness of domestic abuse and violence, which are directed mostly at women. Domestic violence, manifested mostly through wife-beating and marital rape, is treated as private matter and is not viewed as an offence requiring community or state prevention. It was only recently that a bill was filed in Congress criminalizing physical and psychological acts of wife-cruelty, thereby acknowledging the reality of the offence and the need for legislation. Without any law specific to domestic violence, police officers have not been convinced that they should arrest abusers, even when the abused woman files a complaint. 325. One positive development with regard to these issues is the increasing attention being given to it in policy debates and decision-making. The current plan for women has a whole chapter on violence against women and another on the family. /...