MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced its unwavering commitment to crack down on violence against women (VAW).
Speaking during the DOJ’s launching of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), Justice Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez said the agency is beefing up its legal framework to handle VAW cases.
“Through the Department of Justice’s Justice in Action Lecture Series and the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Children, we are strengthening our legal framework to protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable,” Gutierrez said in a statement.
“The Republic Act No. 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act is a powerful tool in this fight. This law ensures that no one — regardless of gender or age — will feel unsafe in any space, be it at work, school, or online. It defines harassment clearly and calls for decisive action to create spaces where victims can speak out without fear of retaliation,” she added.
The 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that nearly 1 out of 5 women have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence from their current or most recent husband or intimate partner.
In 2023 alone, 8,055 cases classified under Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 were reported to the Philippine National Police.
“Violence against women takes many forms — physical, emotional, economic, and digital — but its impact is always the same: It shatters lives and erases hope. Only by acknowledging this can we respond with the urgency and empathy required,” Gutierrez. (PNA)