CHILDREN ACT OF 2004 OR REPUBLIC ACT 9262? It is the law penalizing acts of violence against women and their children. These acts include physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence and economic abuse and committed by a womans husband, live-in partner or dating partner. 2. WHAT IS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN OR VAWC UNDER THE LAW? It refers to any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or outside the family residence, which results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse, including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. A dating relationship is one which has a romantic involvement, that a relationship existed between a woman and her partner who is or was abusive, whether or not the relationship was formal, while a sexual relationship refers to a sexual act(s), which may or may not result to a bearing of a child. 3. WHO IS PROTECTED UNDER THE LAW? The law seeks to protect the woman and her children. Children refers to the children of the abused woman, below 18 years old, legitimate or illegitimate, or those who are 18 years old and above but are incapable of taking care of themselves, including children who are not her biological children but are under her care. 4. WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF ACTS THAT ARE PUNISHABLE? Physical abuse includes acts which inflicts physical/bodily harm like battery. Economic abuse includes not giving adequate financial support, controlling the conjugal money or the womans own money. Psychological abuse includes marital infidelity, repeated verbal
abuse, public humiliation or stalking. Sexual violence includes causing
to make the woman or her child to perform sexual acts or prostituting the woman or her child. 5. WHAT CAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE VICTIMS DO? The law allows women and their children to a secure barangay protection order (BPO) and/or temporary or permanent protection order from the courts. They can also file for criminal action for the violation of this Act. 6. WHAT IS A PROTECTION ORDER? It seeks to protect the woman and her child from further abuse or violence. A Barangay Protection Order can be obtained from the barangay issued by the Punong Barangay, or if unavailable, by a kagawad. Another option is to apply for a Temporary Protection Order from the Family Court in her place of residence, or if there is no Family Court, in the Regional Trial Court or the Municipal Trial Court. 7. WHO CAN FILE A CASE? Violence against women and children is a public offense under Philippine law, meaning, anyone who has personal knowledge of the crime may file a case on the victims behalf. This includes parents or guardians, grandparents, children and grandchildren, other relatives, local officials, social workers, lawyers, counselors, health care providers and the police. (Mithi Villarmea, Contributor