Many women cry(or even die) in silence and the bruises all over their body are tell tale signs of domestic abuse. According to the Center for Women's Resources (CWR), from year 2010 and 2014, the violations of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act increased by 200 percent. In a country where male dominance is still considered part of the culture, some women remain submissive despite the pain they have to endure. Victims of domestic violence continue to be in chains because of giving importance to the sanctity of marriage. Women who are abused also stay for the sake of their children, but the trauma continues as children would sometimes witness the physical and emotional torture being inflicted upon the mother. In fact, children are not spared from violence because their frail body is also used as punching bag when the father has temper tantrums. Unfortunately, violence is not limited to physical abuse. So, what are considered acts of violence against women and their women.
SEC. 5. Acts of violence against women and their children under R.A. No. 9262.—Violence against women and their children is committed through any of the following acts:
(a) Causing, threatening or attempting to cause physical harm to the woman or her child;
(b) Placing the woman or her child in fear of imminent physical harm;
(c) Attempting to compel or compelling the woman or her child to engage in conduct which the woman or her child has the right to desist from or to desist from conduct which the woman or her child has the right to engage in, or attempting to restrict .or restricting the woman’s or her child’s freedom of movement or conduct by force or threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical on other harm, or intimidation directed against the woman or her child.
This shall include, but is not limited to, the following acts committed with the purpose or effect of controlling or restricting the movement or conduct of the woman or her child:
(1) Threatening to deprive or actually depriving the woman or her child of custody or access to her/his family;
(2) Depriving or threatening to deprive the woman or her children of financial support legally due her or her family, or deliberately providing the woman’s children insufficient financial support;
(3) Depriving or threatening to deprive the woman or her child of a legal right; and
(4) Preventing the woman from engaging in any legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity except in cases where the spouse or partner on valid, serious and moral grounds, or controlling the victim’s own money or property, or solely controlling the conjugal or common money or property;
(d) Inflicting or threatening to inflict physical ham on oneself for the purpose of controlling her actions or decisions;
(e) Causing or attempting to cause the woman or her child to engage in any sexual activity which does not constitute rape, by force or threat of force, physical harm, or through intimidation directed against the woman or her child or her/his immediate family;
(f) Engaging in purposeful, knowing, or reckless conduct, personally or through another, that alarms or causes substantial emotional or psychological distress to the woman or her child.
This shall include, but is not limited to, the following acts:
(1) Stalking or following the woman or her child in public or private places;
(2) Peering in the window or lingering outside the residence of the woman or her child;
(3) Entering or remaining in the dwelling or on the property of the woman or her child against her/his will;
(4) Destroying the property and personal belongings or inflicting harm to animals or pets of the woman or child; and
(5) Engaging in any form of harassment or violence; or
(g) Causing mental or emotional anguish, public ridicule or humiliation to the woman or her child, including, but not limited to, repeated verbal and emotional abuse, and denial of financial support or custody of a minor child or denial of access to the woman’s child.
