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…from
the acts of the offender. … It is enough that the respondent’s acts result in
creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the employee.21
Furthermore, it is essential that prosecutors, judges, and justices rule that male coworkers can sexually harass a female co-worker and even male subordinates can sexually
harass a female on a higher position because of the reality of gender relations. Thus, not
only those in a position of power in the workplace, educational, and training institution
sexually harass — vertical type or quid pro quo type of sexual harassment — but also any
co-worker and subordinate can sexually harass because of gender relations between men
and women, known as horizontal or hostile environment type of sexual harassment, that
falls under the use of “influence” under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.22
RECOMMENDATIONS:
RA 7877 should be amended to cover sexual harassment outside of the
employment, training and educational environment identifying places such as
but not limited to streets, parks, schools, markets, and public transportation.
The penalty and fine should also be increased while the prescriptive period
should be lengthened. To do away with the varied and regressive
interpretation of RA 7877, the requirement of authority, influence, and moral
ascendancy should be removed;
Workplace, training and education sexual harassment should be defined as “an
act, or a series of acts involving any unwelcome sexual advance, request or
demand for a sexual favor, or other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual
nature, committed in a work-related, training or education related
environment.”
E. Stalking
There is no national law penalizing stalking although there are now local ordinances
penalizing stalking such as in Quezon City.23 Some rape and rape-slay cases start with
stalking24 stressing the importance of enacting a national law against stalking.
RECOMMENDATION:
Enact a national law against stalking
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON GBV:
Train barangay officials, medico-legal, police, prosecutors, and judges on
gender-responsive handling of GBV cases and ensure the designation of
gender focal points for the police, prosecutors, and judges at every local
government unit level;
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