THE House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the bill that seeks to protect women and their children from all forms of electronic violence.
Some 207 lawmakers said yes to House Bill No. 8655, also known as the “Expanded Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children (E-VAWC) Act", on Monday, December 10.
The bill amends the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 to define psychological violence as acts that may be committed through physical, verbal, emotional, electronic or information communication technology (ICT) related or other means causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the woman and her children such as intimidation, harassment, stalking, verbal abuse and marital infidelity.
The bill defined ICT-related violence as any act involving the use or exploitation of electronic data which causes mental, emotional or psychological distress such as: unauthorized recording, distribution or uploading of any photograph, video, showing the woman and her children’s private parts and scenes showing sexual intercourse and the likes; unauthorized use or sharing of the woman and her children’s photograph, video, voice and name; stalking which includes the hacking of personal accounts on social media; fabricating fake news through text messaging or other electronic or multi-media means and creating fake social media accounts using a different personal information with ill intent.
Those who will violate the provisions of the bill will face the penalty of a fine in the amount of not less than P300,000 up to P500,000 and imprisonment from six up to 12 years. The maximum period of the penalty will be imposed if the crime is committed while the woman or the child is pregnant or if the crime is committed in the presence of the child.
The perpetrator will also have to undergo a mandatory psychological counselling or psychiatric treatment and shall report compliance to court.
The bill is authored by Gabriela Representatives Arlene de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Villarica and AANGAT TAYO Party-list Rep. Harlin Neil Abayon III, among others.
Gabriela representatives lauded the approval of the measure.
“This is a much-awaited development by women abused by their partners, as the measure expands the definition of VAWC to include forms of electronic violence, with corresponding penalties,” Brosas and de Jesus said in a joint statement.
“With the approval of the measure, we hope to give women an increased chance to fight forms of violence and abuse as we educate them on their rights. We will continue amplifying support for this legislative advocacy through our regular Anti-VAWC consultations at the barangay, municipal, city-wide and provincial levels,” they added.
Gabriela urged the Senate to do its part and fast-track the counterpart measure amending the Anti-VAWC Act. (SunStar Philippines)