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Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Persistent appeals for dates now ‘harassment’
Persistent yet unwanted suitors, beware.
Repeatedly asking for dates despite “verbal rejection” is now considered a form of sexual harassment, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) said.
Even persistent cracking of jokes, such as green jokes, to someone who finds them offensive or humiliating, and taunting a person with constant talk about sex and sexual innuendoes are also already considered sexual harassment.
These acts are now considered punishable under the Women Development Code of Cebu Province, which the PB passed on final reading last Oct. 17.
A committee on decorum and investigation will also be created to act on complaints related to sexual harassments.
The Code states that committing acts considered as sexual harassment could earn a person a jail term of not more than one year or a fine of not more than P5,000, or both at the discretion of the court.
It will also regulate holding beauty contests “which tend to commodify, abuse, humiliate and treat women as sex objects.”
Instead, it encourages activities that project women’s strengths and potentials.
Local board
With the approval of the Code, Cebu will soon have its Local Monitoring Board for Violence in Media, whose task is to recommend to the Movie Television Ratings Classification Board (MTRCB) materials openly and indecently shown, printed or broadcasted that degrade women.
As provided in the Code, the Province will also create a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral coordinating council on family violence that will design protocol and mechanism for identification, assessment and interventions on family violence.
It is also provides that the Province should set aside P500,000 in its yearly budget for the implementation and administration of the Code and at least one percent of the total budget for health should also be allotted for women’s health care and nutrition services.
The Code, authored by PB Member Agnes Magpale, is part of Capitol’s effort to institutionalize pertinent national laws related to women’s welfare and development in the local setting.
Magpale chairs the PB committee on women, children and family.
Among her other achievements was the establishment of the P20-million women’s center that will be built in the old Cebu City zoo in Camp Marina.
The center, whose groundbreaking was done last month, will provide women shelter from domestic abuse and will extend legal, medical and psychological services to victims. (MBG)
(November 2, 2005 issue)
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