‘Law vs domestic violence should include men, LGBT’

MANILA, Philippines — The law protecting women and children against domestic violence should also protect husbands and members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender), a lawmaker seeking to amend the law said over the weekend.

“I urge my colleagues to pass the Anti-Violence against Partners and their Children bill so that we can help protect victims of domestic violence, who are increasing by the day because of the pandemic,” Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said.

He authored House Bill 4888, which presents amendments to Republic Act 9262, the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act of 2004 or “VAWC,” to make it the Anti-Violence against Partners and their Children Act or “VAPC.”

Nograles called on his colleagues in the House to include battered husbands as well as partners of any gender or sexual orientation under the protection of the law.

“We must recognize that there are also male partners who are victims of abuse, yet are unable to report such incidents because of prejudice,” he wrote in the proposed measure filed in 2019.

Nograles’ HB 4888 also “expands the coverage to members of the LGBT community.”

“Any act of violence perpetuated as hate crimes against partners and their children would also be considered a special aggravating circumstance, which would impose the maximum penalty on the violator,” a portion of the bill read.

A lawyer by profession, the neophyte congressman also seeks to include as an act of violence the creation of fake social media accounts to sow intrigue and inflict harm on others.

He cited a survey of over 25,000 young women by Plan International, showing an increase in reports of sexual harassment online, circulation of lewd photos and videos, and online sexual exploitation.

Results of the poll showed a lack of awareness on where and how to report cases. It also showed that girls who reported cases online and offline were unaware of the status of their cases because authorities did not respond to the reports.

Despite the VAWC’s enactment in 2004, a 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that one in four Filipino women aged 15-49 has experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence by a husband or partner.