PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Physical Violence

According to R.A. 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Children), physical violence
refers to the “infliction of bodily harm… in the form of battery, assault, coercion, harassment,
arbitrary deprivation of liberty.” Furthermore, it defined battery as “an act of inflicting physical
harm upon the woman or child resulting to physical and psychological or emotional distress.” In
this form of violence, there is an intention by the perpetrator/offender to use bodily or physical
force against the victim (woman/child).

Sexual Violence

Violence can also be committed sexually. Sexual violence refers to the commission of
any sexual act by the perpetrator/offender/abuser against the will of the victim. R.A. 9262
enumerated the forms by which sexual violence may be inflicted or committed against a
woman/child, these are the following:

“a) rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her child as a sex
object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of
the victim's body, forcing her/him to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the
woman or her child to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof, forcing the wife and mistress/lover
to live in the conjugal home or sleep together in the same room with the abuser;

b) acts causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of
force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm or coercion;

c) Prostituting the woman or child.”