What could be worse than filming an 18-month-old baby and selling the sex video for up to $10,000 to both American and European buyers? No words can ever describe the monstrosity and evil machinations of Peter Scully and his minions. One of the worst videos, called Daisy's Destruction shows an 18-month-old baby girl tied upside down by her feet. The baby was sexually assaulted and bashed by two of Scully's Pinay girlfriends. The video brought tears to the investigators in the Philippines as it was just beyond acceptable. It is even unsettling when the tortured girl screams and cries because of what seemed to be an endless torture inflicted upon her. Chief presecutor Jaime Umpa told the court that if he had a choice, it would be death for Scully. If death penalty will not be served to Scully, another option is to reintroduce serving 100 years in jail.

News Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/32704194/philippines-considering-bringing-back-death-penalty-for-accused-australian-pedophile/#page1

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.

Living in a conservative country such as the Philippines feels as though you are walking on eggshells as you need to be very careful with your actions. For instance, making a physical contact would mean an innocuous gesture to some, but a serious offense to others. It may seem very subjective, but the crime of acts of lasciviousness is already a serious mater and this is when touching means something. However, many choose to keep silent because in a country where sex is a taboo topic, some victims are the ones being blamed for the crime committed. Like rape, acts of lasciviousness can be very traumatic to the hapless victim and it is not just about sex but taking advantage of the victim’s weakness. So what exactly are acts of lasciviousness?

As defined in the Republic Act No. 7610, “Lascivious conduct” means the intentional touching, either directly or through clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks, or the introduction of any object into the genitalia, anus or mouth, of any person, whether of the same or opposite sex, with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, bestiality, masturbation, lascivious exhibition of the genitals or public area of a person.”

Elements of the Crime of Acts of Lasciviousness

“1. The accused commits the act of sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct.

2. The said act is performed with a child exploited in prostitution or subjected to sexual abuse.

3. The child, whether male or female, is below 18 years of age.”

Attempted Rape Versus Acts Of Lasciviousness

"Like rape, the acts of lasciviousness are committed by intimidation or force, grave abuse of authority or fraudulent machinations. The victim is deprived of reason, unconscious, demented or under 12 years of age. The offended party in both rape and acts of lasciviousness can be a person of either sex.

However, the act will be considered as an attempted or frustrated rape if the offender clearly demonstrated that his purpose for performing the act is to lie with the offended woman. Lascivious acts are deemed preparatory acts in case of attempted rape. On the other hand, acts of lasciviousness are considered as the offender’s final objective. If the offender does not intend to have sexual intercourse, it will not be considered to be attempted rape. "

If the victim is under 12, it is child abuse under Republic Act No. 7610 and the penalty is one degree higher. Under Art. 339, acts of lasciviousness with the offended party’s consent are committed against a female under circumstance of seduction. Under Art. 336 Acts of lasciviousness are committed against a male or a female under the circumstance of rape.