1

LEVEL OF AWARENESS ON REPUBLIC ACT 9262 (ANTI VIOLLENCE AGAINST

WOMEN AND CHILDREN ACT OF 2004) OF THE 4TH YEAR CRIMINOLOGY

STUDENT OF CEGUERA TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGES

A Thesis

Presented to the Faculty and Research

Ceguera Technoogical Colleges

Iriga City

In Partial Fulfilment

of the Requirements for

Criminological Research and Statistics 1

RACELIS, JOHN E.

SALCEDO, NOEL O.

FONACIER, CHRISTIAN T.

PERIABRAS, CRIS D.

RONATO, MARCO P.

DECEMBER 2022
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FOLLOW APA FORMAT FOR TITLE PAGE

CHAPTER 1

GIVE BRIEF STATEMENT OR SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1

The Problem

Introduction

Violence is everywhere, a crime occurs in any ages, gender and life status. For over a

century the common victim of this violence is women and their children, as time goes past

this kind of violence become rampant not only to a single nation but for the whole world, this

was become the biggest problem to all women and children. The violence is a behavior that

involves physical forces intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone to which it can cause harm

for someone’s feelings, physical outcomes, social reputation and even for an immediate

death.

Women and their children who is victim of violence may experience physical and

mental problems. They are prone of having depression and anxiety, increase of feelings like

being aggressive for all the time that they’ve remember the violence that they’ve got, changes

in sleep, loss of appetite and became extrovert. Their outgoing, vibrant nature draws people

to them and turning away the attention.

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According to the Social Learning Theory, Jasinski (2001), provided explanations of

violence against women and their children that focus on characteristics of individuals use a

micro-level or individual-level perspective. Theoretical explanations of violence against

women and their children that reflect the micro perspective include social learning theory;

psychopathology, psychological, and physiological explanations; resource theory; and

exchange theory. Social learning theory, one of the most popular explanatory frameworks for

violence against women and their children, suggests that individuals learn how to behave

through both the experience of and exposure to violence. A psychopathological explanation

of violence against women suggests that individuals who are violent toward women have

some type of personality disorder or mental illness that might get in the way of otherwise

normal inhibitions about violent behavior. Biological and physiological explanations suggest

that violence against women is related to the process of natural selection, such that men, who

are biologically driven to reproduce as much as possible, will resort to rape when they have

difficulty finding consensual female partners.

Alcohol has also been cited by researchers as a frequent factor in violent acts against

women. Under exchange theory, individuals are viewed as engaging in certain behaviors

either to earn reward or to escape punishment. This theory also states that men's violence

against women can be interpreted as a means for men to maintain their position in the social

structure. Resource theory is situated within the framework of exchange theory, which views

men as using violence within the family to establish power over women within family

dynamics when other resources of persuasion are lacking. In contrast to micro theories,

macro or sociocultural theories focus on the social and cultural conditions that make violence

against women a likely occurrence. A number of explanations of violence against women can

be classified as macro-oriented theories. These include the cultural acceptance of violence,

patriarchy or feminist perspective, a subculture of violence, and structural stress.

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Sociocultural theories address the influence of social location (social class, education, and

income) on violence against women and have attempted to integrate both social structural and

family processes. More recently, the trend in theory development regarding violence against

women has moved toward the development of multidimensional theories of violence that take

into account both social structural factors and individual characteristics. 102 references.

With regards to this issue of violence the Philippine government (congress) enacted R.A.

9262 otherwise known as Anti violence against women and children act of 2004. For the

protection of all women and children or providing protective measures for victims,

prescribing penalties therefor and for other purposes. It also state the different types of

violence and abuse; physical violence an act that include bodily or physical harm, “Violence

against women and their children” 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 without the family abode, which

result 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. It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

A. “Physical Violence” refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm;

B. “Sexual violence” refers to an act which is sexual in nature, committed against a woman or

her child. It includes, but is not limited to:

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
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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.

C. “Psychological violence” refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or

emotional suffering of the victim such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking,

damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse and marital

infidelity. It includes causing or allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or

psychological abuse of a member of the family to which the victim belongs, or to witness

pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted

deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children.

D. “Economic abuse” refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially

dependent which includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any legitimate

profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases wherein the other spouse/partner

objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as defined in Article 73 of the Family Code;

2. deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the use and

enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common;

3. destroying household property;

4. controlling the victims’ own money or properties or solely controlling the conjugal money

or properties.

(b) “Battery” refers to an act of inflicting physical harm upon the woman or her child

resulting to the physical and psychological or emotional distress.

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(c) “Battered Woman Syndrome” refers to a scientifically defined pattern of psychological

and behavioral symptoms found in women living in battering relationships as a result of

cumulative abuse.

(d) “Stalking” refers to an intentional act committed by a person who, knowingly and without

lawful justification follows the woman or her child or places the woman or her child under

surveillance directly or indirectly or a combination thereof.

(e) “Dating relationship” refers to a situation wherein the parties live as husband and wife

without the benefit of marriage or are romantically involved over time and on a continuing

basis during the course of the relationship. A casual acquaintance or ordinary socialization

between two individuals in a business or social context is not a dating relationship.

(f) “Sexual relations” refers to a single sexual act which may or may not result in the bearing

of a common child.

(g) “Safe place or shelter” refers to any home or institution maintained or managed by the

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or by any other agency or

voluntary organization accredited by the DSWD for the purposes of this Act or any other

suitable place the resident of which is willing temporarily to receive the victim.

(h) “Children” refers to those below eighteen (18) years of age or older but are incapable of

taking care of themselves as defined under Republic Act No. 7610. As used in this Act, it

includes the biological children of the victim and other children under her care.

Hence, this study aim to know the level of awareness of the 4th year criminology students of

ceguera technological colleges with regards to Republic Act 9262. The researchers as the

proponent of this study found the interest to address this particular topic for the continues

delivery of quality education and maintaining the knowledge that every criminology students

had, especially the graduating students to which there is a possibility that it can be used as a
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point of review in the up coming review for the board examination. And for the future

reference if they will become a law enforcer.

Theoretical framework

This study aims to know different theories regarding the level of awareness on Anti violence

against women and their children act in ceguera technological colleges particularly the 4 th

year criminology students in order for them to be aware on violence/ abuse of women and

their children and its consequences/penalties.

Feminist theories. are a group of related theories that share several principles in

common. First, feminist theories maintain that gender—the socially constructed expectations

about the attitudes and behaviors of women and men that are typically referred to as

femininity and masculinity, respectively—is a central organizing component of social life,

including criminal offending, victimization, and criminal justice processing. Second, feminist

theories hold that because of patriarchal sexism—that is, the valuing of men and masculinity

over women and femininity—women and girls have been systematically excluded or

marginalized in criminology, both as professionals and as subjects of study. Consequently, a

core principle of feminist theories is to include female perspectives and experiences in all

research and practice. Feminist theories, though, do not treat women or men as homogenous

groups but rather recognize that gender privilege varies across different groups of women and

men. Therefore, a third fundamental principle of feminist theories is to examine criminal

offending, victimization, and criminal justice processing in the context of multiple

intersecting social factors, including—in addition to gender, race, and ethnicity—social class,

age, and sexual orientation. Fourth, feminist theories not only attempt to explain criminal

offending, victimization, and criminal justice processing but also combine theory with
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practice so as to develop more equitable and just solutions to the crime problem. Although

feminist theories share these four major principles, the theories themselves are diverse.

Among the major feminist theories are liberal feminism, radical feminism, Marxist/socialism

feminism, postmodern/poststructuralist feminism, and multiracial feminism.

Gender theory is closely related to, but not the same as, feminist theory. Both gender theory

and feminist theory forward a critical analysis of the relationship

between difference and inequality through the theorization of gender role socialization

(Gilligan, 1982; Kimmel & Aronson, 2010). Both seek to explore and understand the process

of gender socialization and analyze the relationship of gender and/or sex to unequal

distribution of power in the world. Feminist theory takes a woman’s experience as its starting

point (Note: Simone de Beauvoir’s suggestion that “one is not born, but rather becomes, a

woman,” De Beauvoir, 1949/1989, p. 267); However, the conceptualizations

of masculinity and femininity in gender theory are modes of performing identity rather than

natural manifestations of biology per se.

Gender is understood as socially constructed – something learned. Social scientists believe

that we acquire characteristics and behaviors because of how they are understood by those

around us; we gradually become masculine and/or feminine, and we behave in gendered ways

in various circumstances for a variety of reasons. For gender theorists, one is not

masculine or feminine but rather performs a combination of many characteristics that could

be understood as either or both masculine or feminine depending on the context and

relationships and purposes (Eckert & McConnell-Ginet, 2003).

Judith Butler (1990) deconstructs woman as a biological identity through her analysis

of gender performativity. For Butler and other gender theorists, gender is not so much

something one is, as something one does, something one performs. Discourse in particular

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serves as the capacity to produce what it names, including what is normality and otherness;

hence, use of language is central in gender theory. According to Butler, “performative acts

are forms of authoritative speech: most performatives, for instance, are statements that, in

uttering, also perform a certain action and exercise of power” (p. 225). In this way, gender

embodies a discourse. Gender implies a history that exists beyond the individual who enacts

(or resists) the roles expected from the category assigned. All are located in particular

communities. However, there are competing views, like Camille Paglia’s (1991) that asserts

gender stereotypes are social expressions of essential, biological “truths,” such as the

aggressiveness of the male sex and the passivity of the female sex. But gender roles

exaggerate and stereotype these differences, bringing into focus particular attributes while

ignoring others, and interpreting these differences in ways that are specific to each context.

As such, gender theory is based on performances of gender, and not exploring universal

tendencies (Francis, 2000; Sunderland, 2004).

Gender theory also places the valuation of experience as central in its usefulness and as a

point from which to think and theorize about larger social, political, and economic processes.

Gender is the product of interpretive perceptions of otherwise multiple, varied phenomena.

Gender is thus an element of epistemology; whether conscious or unconscious, gender is a

part of how we perceive and how we are perceived (Jule, 2004; Sheldon, 1997). Gender role

expectations are subtle and deeply ingrained; however, there is also a great diversity in how

individuals express their gender which may not conform to existing stereotypes. For example,

transgender people feel that they have been born into a body in which their gender identity

and their physical sex are not coherent. Many people who identify as transgender choose to

“live” their gender identity rather than their physical or genetic sex (Cameron, 1992).

There are often two complementary goals of gender theory. One is to challenge the

hierarchical placement of feminine-gendered attributes (such as passivity, cooperativeness, an

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orientation toward relationships) as inferior to masculine-gendered attributes (such as

aggressiveness, competitiveness, an orientation toward public rules and laws). The other goal

is to reduce or remove coercion, so that individual women and men can freely be as

masculine and/or feminine as they wish to be. In this way, there is a plurality, multiplicity,

and expected complexity in being gendered.

However, the opposition between constructionist and essentialist views of gender gives rise

to some philosophical problems. For example, the construction/essence opposition is itself

problematic because it too is constructed. Constructionism depends on some essentializing

concepts (i.e., gender is always constructed is an essentialist claim), while any particular

essentialist view is itself constructed (i.e., boys are like that only applies in certain

circumstances). In addition, gender constructionism may artificially isolate one attribute

while not considering its interactions with other, equally constructed categories, such as race

and class (Coates, 2003; Connell, 1995; Mills, 1995).

Some sociological research attempts to establish other sex-related tendencies, such as the

claim that some women are born to be good communicators or that some men are innately

better with spatial tasks. But the problem with biological determinist views is the effort to

simplify what is infinitely complex and unique to each person. For any claim by biological

determinists, such as women are better at languages, there is a counterclaim that questions

that certainty, such as men are better public speakers (Holmes, 2003). Gender theory is not

concerned with opinions of gender differences but with what. Some scholars, like Deborah

Cameron (1992), suggest that studies of difference ultimately have a political dimension and

questions why we would want to find differences. That is, one’s understanding of gender

often aligns with one’s larger political or philosophical views as well. Those who see gender

as working on a complex continuum cannot prevent or predict people’s behavior based on

sex.
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General Strain Theory. In terms of child maltreatment, the experience of abuse or

neglect is seen as a severe strain, or negative experience, that may lead to delinquency

(Agnew, 2001; 2013). More specifically, Agnew (2001) proposed that strains are seen as

unjust, high in magnitude, associated with low social control, and create pressure to

participate in criminal coping behaviors. Prior scholars (Iratzoqui, 2018; Watts & McNulty,

2013) have used the general strain theory framework to understand the impact of child abuse

on delinquent behavior. Iratzoqui (2018) found that abused and neglected children were more

likely to engage in substance abuse during adolescence. Watts and McNulty (2013) found

individuals who experienced physical or sexual child abuse, particularly by a parent or

caretaker, were more likely to engage in adolescent delinquency.

Attachment Theory. Bowlby (1973) hypothesized the theory of attachment and defined the

concept of attachment as “any form of behavior that results in a person attaining or

maintaining proximity to some other differentiated and preferred individual, usually

conceived as stronger and/or wiser” (p. 292). Ainsworth and colleagues (1978) expanded

Bowlby’s (1973) definition of attachment and identified, as well as categorized, different

types of behavioral attachment styles. These attachment styles include 1) secure attachment,

2) insecure-avoidant attachment, 3) insecureambivalent attachment, and 4) disorganized-

disoriented attachment (Ainsworth et al., 1978; Main & Solomon, 1986; 1990). In a secure

relationship, the parent or caregiver is attentive to the needs of the child. According to

Tarabulsy and colleagues (2008), “a secure child who has received consistent, sensitive, and

attentive care is able to strike a balance between autonomous exploration of his or her own

environment and dependency” (p. 323). Second, in insecure-avoidant relationships, the child

physically and emotionally avoids the parent or caregiver and does not rely on the parent or

caregiver to help manage distress. Third, an insecure -ambivalent child “demonstrates

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resistance and behavioral conflict with the parent or excessive immaturity as a way of

attracting and maintaining the caregiver’s attention and monitoring skills” (Tarabulsy et al.,

2008, p. 323). The fourth attachment style, disorganized-disoriented, includes children who

cannot depend on the parent or caregiver for comfort and protection. The parent or caregiver

of a disorganized-disoriented child demonstrates atypical responses to infant signals and

behaves in a frightening manner when near a child (Tarabulsy et al., 2008). Researchers have

reported that physically abused or neglected children are more likely to exhibit insecure

attachment than children who have not experienced physical abuse or neglect (Carlson,

Cicchetti, Barnett, & Braunwald, 1989; Egelande & Sroufe, 1981; Lyons-Ruth, Connell, &

Zoll, 1989; Main & Goldwyn, 1984; Schneider-Rosen, Braunwald, Carlson, & Cicchetti,

1985). Several researchers have indicated that the disorganized attachment is most common

among maltreated children (Barnett, Ganiban, & Cicchetti, 1999; Carlson et al., 1989;

Cicchetti, Rogosch, & Toth, 2006; Lyons-Ruth, Connell, Grunebaum, & Botein, 1990;

Zeanah & Smyke, 2005).

Social Learning Theory and the Intergenerational Transmission of Violence. Social learning

theory is based on the idea that an individual learns through modeling, observation, and

cognitive processes (Bandura, 1977). According to social learning theory, crime and criminal

behavior is learned (Akers, 1973). When examining child maltreatment specifically, social

learning theory posits that abusive behavior can be learned (Daigle & Muftić, 2016).

According to social learning theory, parents and caregivers who abuse or neglect their

children do so because they experienced or witnessed abuse or neglect at a young age (Daigle

& Muftić, 2016). Indeed, Widom (1989a) suggested that “there is a higher likelihood of

abuse by parents if the parents were themselves abused as children” (p.160). The

intergenerational transmission of violence, or the cycle of violence, is premised on the

principles of social learning theory. Widom (1989a) noted that the intergenerational
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transmission of violence refers to the “assumptions or hypotheses about the consequences of

abuse and neglect in relation to a number of different outcomes” (p. 160). In other words,

children who are exposed to violence in childhood view violence as acceptable behavior.

Widom (1989a) indicated that children who have been abused or neglected have a higher risk

of becoming criminals, delinquents, and violent. Individuals with a history of child

maltreatment were three times more likely to perpetrate child abuse (Milaniak & Widom,

2015). Nevertheless, it is important to note that Widom (1989b) did not indicate that every

abused or neglected child will become criminal or violent. Intervention and recognition of

child maltreatment can reduce the chances of delinquency and criminal behavior in children

who have experienced abuse and neglect (Widom & Maxfield, 2001). Widom (1989a) also

noted that, “it is important to understand the potential protective factors that intervene in the

child’s development and to compare the development of those who succumb and those who

are ‘resilient’” (p. 165). Protective factors, such as high intelligence, demographic

characteristics (e.g., being White or older), or mentorship may mitigate the effects of child

maltreatment and future adult violence (Wright, Turanovic, O’Neal, Morse, & Booth, 2019).

Three-Factor Theory. Lesnik-Oberstein, Cohen, and Koers (1982) developed a three-factor

theory on the cause of physical abuse, and psychological/emotional abuse. Lesnik-Oberstein,

Koers, and Cohen (1995) hypothesized that when three factors are present, the risk of

maltreatment increases: 1) “high level of parental hostility,” 2) “low level of parental

inhibition of overt aggression,” and 3) “focusing on parental aggression on the child.” The

type of abuse experienced by a child is dependent upon the ratio of factor one and factor two.

The higher the ratio, the greater the likelihood of experiencing physical abuse. Conversely, as

the ratio decreases, risk of psychological/emotional abuse increases. If the ratio of parental

hostility and parental inhibition of overt aggression is low, then the risk of child abuse should

remain low. Additionally, other factors that connect with each of the three factors include
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lack of coping skills, a parent’s childhood upbringing characterized as affectionless, high

stress levels, high levels of strain, one’s own past abuse, substance abuse, and low levels of

empathy, can affect the likelihood of abuse (Lesnik-Oberstein et al., 1995). The three factors

and the subfactors help explain how parental hostility may lead to child abuse, specifically

physical and psychological abuse.

The above-mentioned theories were anchored the main focus of the study, which was the

title: Level of awareness on republic act 9262: Anti violence against women and children of

2004 of the 4th year criminology students of ceguera technological colleges. Considering

those theories used in this study, the researchers was able to theorized. The level of

awareness of the 4th year criminology students on violence against women and their children

leading to a well-equipped students when it comes to knowledge.

Feminist Gender theory

theories

Level of awareness on
Republic act 9262: Anti-
violence against women Social Learning
General Strain
and children act of 2004
Theory
of the 4th year
criminology student of
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Three-Factor Attachment
Theory Theory

Figure 1

Theorical Paradigm

Conceptual framework

Figure 2 shows the conceptual paradigm of this study. It is based on the

system approach which shows the interplay of the three important elements: the input,

the process and the output.

Input. It includes the respondents, the level of awareness of the respondents on the

republic act 9262: Anti violence against women and their children act of 2004 along with the

theories, related literature, instrument used and statistical tools.

Process. It consists of the following: finding out the awareness of the 4 th year

criminology students on anti-violence against women and children act, and assessment of the

respondents on the said act to formulate the pointers to prevent or enhance the awareness of

the students on the RA 9262 to create a well-equipped student when it comes to the

knowledge particularly on this law.

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Output. The output of this study is the formulation of recommendation based

on the result in creating a fully aware student.

The feedback loop provides the mechanism for a development of all the guidelines

and to keep on the steps on the needed careful changes and adjustments to improve the

pointers on anti-violence against women and children act of 2004.

INPUT PROCESS OUPUT

1. Demographic profile
a. Age
b. Gender
c. Social status
d. Religion
2. Level of awareness of the
criminology students in 1. Finding out the
terms of: awareness of 4th
2.1 Penalties
criminology
a. Physical
students on
violence
Republic Act 9262.
b. Sexual
2. Testing the Formulating
violence
significant pointers/recommen
c. Phycologic
difference on the dations in creating a
al violence
d. Economic
respondents on school free
abuse
anti-violence against awareness of
2.2 Provisions of women and Republic Act 9262.
the law children.
3. Formulating
3. What possible effect if the pointers/recommen
4th year criminology dations in creating a
students do not know this school free
existing law? awareness of
4. What intervention the Republic Act 9262.
school can give to make
the students more aware
on the rules and
regulation of this act?

FEEDBACK
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Statement of the problem:

Figure 2
1. Demographic profile
Conceptual Paradigm
a. Age

b. Gender

c. Social status

d. Religion

2. Level of awareness of the criminology students in terms of:

2.1 Penalties

a. Physical violence

b. Sexual violence

c. Phycological violence

d. Economic abuse

2.2 Provisions of the law

3. What possible effect if the 4th year criminology students do not know this existing

law?

4. What intervention the school can give to make the students more aware on the rules

and regulation of this act?

Assumption of the study

1. More than half of the population of the respondents know the implementing rules and

regulations of RA 9262.

2. most of the respondents express the acquired awareness based on their knowledge of the

said Law.
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3. Almost all of the criminology students specifically 4th year has the idea about the penalty

and provisions of RA 9262.

4.There are recommendation can be made based from the findings of the study.

Significance of the study:

Instructor- For them to guide their students to fully understand the law if they

encountered difficulties on it.

Students – for them to improve/ maintain their knowledge and become more aware

on this particular law and its provisions.

Parents – for them to extend their hundred percent support to their children in gaining

the knowledge that they need and of course to finish their study.

School Administrator- for them to improve and give their full support to the students

in order to become excellent and aware on the different points of learning as

criminology students.

Future Researcher/criminology students- the output of the study would serve as a

basis or reference of their future study related to the what we’ve studied.

Scope and Delimitation:

This research entitled the “Level of Awareness on Republic Act 9296: Anti-Violence

Against Women and Children Act of 2004 of the 4th year Criminology Students of Ceguera

Technological Colleges” selected 180 students for School Year 2022-2023. The researchers

aim to know the level of awareness of the students on Republic Act 9262.

Definition of terms

Physical refers to or acts including bodily or physical harm.

Psychological refers to harm or to cause mental or emotional suffering,

Physical Violence refers to activities that cause physical damage or bodily harm.

Sexual violence refers to a sexual act carried out against a woman or her child.
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Violence against women and their children refers to any act or series of acts, whether legal

or illegal, carried out inside or outside the family home, against a woman or her child.

Battered Woman Syndrome refers to a pattern of psychological and behavioral symptoms

that has been scientifically identified as being present in battered women as a result of

repeated abuse.

Stalking refers to an intentional act made by a person who knowingly and unlawfully follows

a woman or her child, places the woman or her child under direct or indirect surveillance, or

engages in a combination of these actions.

Dating relationship refers to a dating relationship is not the same as a passing acquaintance

or routine socialization between two people in a professional or social setting.

Sexual relations refers to a single sexual act that might or might not lead to the conception of

a common child.

Safe place or shelter refers to any home, institution, agency, or nonprofit group that the

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) maintains or oversees, that has

been authorized by the DSWD for the purposes of this Act, or to any other appropriate

location where the resident is willing to temporarily receive the victim.

Children refers to those who are under the age of eighteen (18) or older but are unable to

care for themselves in accordance with Republic Act No. 7610. It includes the victim's

biological children as well as any other kids in her care, as used in this Act.

Psychological violence refers to acts or omissions including, but not limited to, intimidation,

harassment, stalking, property damage, public humiliation or ridicule, repeated verbal abuse,

and mental infidelity that cause or are likely to cause mental or emotional suffering in the

victim. It also includes causing or permitting the victim to witness the unlawful or unwanted

deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children, as well as the
 20

physical, sexual, or psychological abuse of a member of the victim's own family, as well as

the witnessing of pornography in any form.

Economic abuse refers to Acts that make a woman financially dependent or attempt to do so

include, but are not limited to:

The 1987 Philippine Constitution - Article II, Section 14, which states that "the state

recognizes the role of women in nation building and shall ensure the fundamental equality

before the law of women and men," is one of its most important clauses.

Anti-Mail Order Bride Law (Republic Act 6955) According to the law, it is forbidden to

match foreigners with Filipino mail-order brides. The practice of introducing Filipino women

to foreigners for marriage through personal introductions, publication, printing, or

distribution of brochures and flyers, membership in organizations that facilitate such

introductions, and use of the postal service are all punishable.

Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (Republic Act 7877) – Unwelcome sexual advances,

requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical acts of a sexual nature that occur

either directly or indirectly in a place of employment, education, or training are illegal.

Review of Related Literature & Studies

Reviewed below are related literature gathered from various studies, books, pertinent

documents and electronic data to support the concepts stipulated study. This section deals in

particular with such concepts as empowerment, affecting participation and other related

topics.

On Physical Abuse

Hooper (2005), Physical abuse is often difficult to identify not only because of the

ethics involved in doing so but because of the intra-familial issues that may be present;

different cultural acceptances, religion and loyalties to parents and siblings often prevent the
 21

open declaration of the levels of abuse that actually exist (Fergusson and Lynskey, 1997).

The boundary between parental over-chastisement and physical abuse has been commented

on, particularly when parental belief systems are involved. Over the past few years there has

been significant pressure across the UK for legislation to ban all corporal punishment in line

with recommendations from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the

European Social Rights Committee and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of

Europe, While many European countries have put such bans in place (such as Italy, Iceland,

Romania and the Ukraine), the UK has only enforced a ban on smacking in certain contexts,

such as day care, and resisted a complete ban on corporal punishment. Where abuse occurs it

becomes a difficult decision for a child to make as to whether to say something, especially

where a parent, and thus the usual confidant of a child, is the abuser. Children are unlikely to

know of other avenues to which they can turn (Hooper, 2005). They fear that they will not be

believed or taken seriously, or that their experiences were their fault and they did something

to deserve the abuse that they received. Telling professionals or other adults is daunting when

young people do not know what their reaction will be, or what processes will be put in

motion.

On Sexual Abuse

Skuse et al (1999), Sexual abuse is possibly easier to define but often hard to identify,

particularly among male victims, due to the stigma that surrounds it and the impact this has

on people’s ability and willingness to disclose. . According to the research paper by Skuse et

al prevalence figures vary (between 3% and 37% for boys, and 6% to 62% for girls).

On Sources of Information

Mass media as a source of information. According to Shodhanga (2014) The whole world is

passing through a period of “Information Explosion”. That this is the age of information that

all information has now been reaching to every home in any remote area, one way is through
 22

television, radio, magazine, newspapers and internet. Television and radio as of today is one

of medium of knowledge and awareness specially when it comes to inflicting awareness of

human and women’s rights. It can be gleaned from the

study of Tunio and Shouakt on their research “Role of Television in Awareness of Women

Rights” where they found out that television changes the attitudes and behavior of women.

They found out that television increases the awareness of women’s rights. That television

informs women about the laws and conventions made at national level an international level

to protect women’s rights and women are mostly aware of organizations working for the

promotion and protection of women’s rights. The internet shared the same spot in as

television, but today the internet has passed this and has become the most reliable source of

information this is according to Findahl who researched on “The Swedish and the Internet”

(2014), the internet is the most utilized in searching for facts and looking up for words. So,

when it comes to gaining knowledge of a particular area Findahl compared internet as a web

which connects to different strands of information that is easily accessible with just one click.

Local literature

Because of the rampant violence against women worldwide, different convention was

created to give meaning and importance not only human rights but also the rights of women.

When the Universal Declaration for Human Rights was founded on December 1948, it

became the backbone of different rights and treatise which opened the door for equality. The

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW

adopted by the UN General Assembly, it is often described as an International Bill of Rights

for women. Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles. It defines what constitute discrimination

against women and sets up an agenda to end violence and discrimination. Because of this,

different states adopted rights for women and created their own rights against discrimination

and violence. The only problem that this legislation encountered is not on the implementation
 23

but on what level these individuals know about these rights. A study was conducted in

Karnataka State Women’s University, Vijayapura India about the level of awareness on

human and women’s rights. The respondents were the post graduate students in the

university. Random sampling was used to gather data. The primary data was collected from

the respondents with the help of a structure questionnaire. 176 have replied to the

questionnaire. They found out that the awareness of the respondents regarding women’s

rights, that all of the respondents do agree that they are aware if their rights. And the reason

of the awareness was the optional subject “Feminine Jurisprudence” given by the department

which gives them the information of their rights. They also found out that the respondents

prefer newspapers/magazine for gathering information (Patil, Tadasad, & Dr. Deepthi, 2015).

On the other hand, in the same country a study conducted to measure the level of awareness

of women in various field like laborers, illiterates, housewife’s, college students, teachers,

lecturers etc... The data was collected by using simple random sampling and 100 women

were the respondents. They found out that majority of the women is not aware of the

importance of the concept of human rights and its impact in improving the statues of women.

Their study also revealed that the level of awareness about women’s rights among women is

not satisfactory. The reasons for the low level of awareness among women about their rights

traced in the study are illiteracy, negligence of law, ineffective enforcement of law,

unfavorable attitude of the society to take help legislation. And the most important thing that

was observed by the researcher was only the victims, lawyers and some other educated

sections of the society have some knowledge about their rights (Narayana, 2015).

Meanwhile, violence against women in Asian countries are rampant due to a

patriarchal

society where women are dominated by men. The ideological structure of Asian countries

that women are structurally weaker position in all societies; in education, occupationally and
 24

economically. This is why cases of coercion, harassment or deprivation of liberty. It covers

all forms of violence, such as physical, sexual, psychological and economic. In the Philippine

context, only women may file under the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act,

while the offenders may either be men or women with whom the victims are or were in

lesbian relationship, because the definition includes past or present sexual or dating

relationships. Former Senator Pia Cayetano created a primer which discusses about violence

against women and children.

Who are protected under the law?

The Anti-Violence Act protects women and their children, specifically:

1. Wife or former wife of the offender

2. Woman with whom the offender has or had a dating or sexual relationship

3. The mother of the child of the offender

4. The child, whether legitimate or illegitimate of the woman.

Who are punishes by the law?

The following are liable:

1. Husbands or former husbands

2. Any person with whom the victim has or had a sexual dating relationship

3. Any person with whom the victim has a common child

4. Father of the child victim (RA 9262)

In relation to this, a study was conducted in Palawan on the level of awareness and the

perception of the housewife about the R.A. 9262. The researcher used a descriptive in nature

and a survey method in generating the needed information. The respondents of the study were

limited to housewives in selected barangays of Palawan. They found out that the respondents

were slightly aware of some provisions such as depriving or threatening to deprive the

woman or her child of legal right; preventing the woman in engaging in any legitimate
 25

position and controlling the victim’s own money and properties. They also found out that

except the three provisions the respondents were moderately aware with the rest of the other

provisions. They implied that “moderately aware” means that the respondents are not so

knowledgeable with the certain provisions. But their overall findings, they stated that

majority of the respondents were aware of the intimate partner violence in RA 9262 (Santiago

& Aya, 2014) Another study was conducted among women in Looc Village, Manduae City in

Cebu on the awareness of the R.A. 9262. The study utilized a descriptive-correctional design.

Where 96 respondents were selected through purposive sampling. They found out that most

of the respondents expressed that they have acquired awareness on intimate partner violence

from watching television. Another result was the majority of the respondents were aware of

the intimate partner violence of RA 9262 (Caparas & Amparado, 2012)

A related study was also conducted in the municipalities of Agoncillo and San Juan

Batangas. The study utilized the descriptive method of research to determine the awareness of

the respondents of the RA 9262. The researcher used 145 participants from the tow

municipalities. They found out that majority of the respondents are aware on the kinds of

violence, acts of violence and penalties on crimes committed against women and children.

They also found out that there is no significant difference on the level of awareness when

respondents were grouped according to profile variables except on the social status in the

aspect of the kind of violence and educational attainment in example of acts of violence

(Morales, n.d.)

In accessing or gathering information about a particular data, books and magazine as

well are helpful especially when someone wants to seek accurate information which had been

tested and proven. Information such as feminism, equality and rights can be access also

specially in the libraries. Government agencies also help in promoting awareness of human

and women’s rights. Take for example the Department of Social Welfare and Development
 26

where their goal is to protect and secure the welfare of every person. According to the Social

Marketing branch of DSWD, As the lead agency in social protection, the DSWD holds a

series of advocacy and information dissemination activities every year highlighted the

dissemination of Awareness of R.A 9262.

Synthesis of the state-of-the-Art

The foregoing review of related literature has accorded the researchers aim to get the

information needed on achieving its goals on creating a fully aware students of a law when it

comes to penalties and provisions specifically on anti-violence against women and their

children act of 2004.

The prevalence of violence against women and their children (VAWC) is so extensive that

the international community has been prompted to declare it as a public health and human

right issue of worldwide scope (Guedes et al., 2016). Organizations pushing for the

protection of women’s health and rights have been lobbying for the abolition of such cruel

acts for decades, resulting in the holding of several global and regional conventions and

agreements, most notable of which were the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination

of Violence against Women of 1993 and the Beijing Platform for Action of 1995 (World

Health Organization, 2021).

The United Nations defines VAWC as “any” act of gender-based violence against

women, whether in public or private life, that causes or is likely to inflict physiological,

sexual, or psychological pain or suffering to women, including threats, coercion, or arbitrary

deprivation of liberty. Gender-based violence is any form of violence directed towards

women based on their sex (WHO, 2021).

VAWC is a grave public health concern with multiple impacts on women’s mental, physical,

and reproductive health (Boeckel et al., 2014; Devries et al., 2010; Devrieset al., 2013;

Ellsberg et al., 2008; Maman et al., 2000; Stöckl et al., 2013). It is any act of violence in
 27

intimate partner and children that resulting to physical, sexual, psychological harm, and

economic (United Nations’ General Assembly Declaration of the Elimination of Violence

against Women resolution 48/104 of December 1993).

According to the Daily Tribune Philippines (2021), violence against women happens in one

out of every four Filipinas (Antolin, 2021). In the province of Laguna, the VAWC cases

increase from 539 in 2014, 581 in 2015, 446 in 2016 to 1,022 in 2017 (Mortel & Balahadia,

2019).

The government formulated and implemented the policies and legislation against

VAWC, and part of this is the Republic Act 9262. This law protects children and women in

these grave acts. R.A. 9262, also known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their

Children Act of 2004, is a law that promotes the protection and prescribes penalties of the

abuses on women and their children by their intimate partners (Dulin, 2018). On March 2004

the then President Macapagal-Arroyo signed R.A. 9262. It defines VAWC as "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 without the family abode, which result 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”. It includes, but is not

limited to, physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and economic abuse

(The LawPhil Project, n.d.).

Although there is a law protecting the welfare of women and children, there is always

a question of the level of awareness regarding the content and implementation of R.A.9262.

According to the study of Santiago and Aya (2014), the selected homemakers in the

municipalities of Palawans were moderately aware of the provisions of RA 9262. Moreover,

 28

in the study of Panerio and Albay, they found out that the City of Digos in the province of

Davao Del Sur is also moderately aware of the provisions of R.A.9262. Additionally, some

studies in the Philippines also measured the awareness of male respondents on Republic Act

9262 and based on the survey of San Juan et al. (2017), the male respondents in Tanay Rizal

were "aware" of the general information of R.A. 9262 but lack in-depth understanding. The

2017 Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), a national representative,

cross-sectional survey of women and girls aged 15 to 49, provided the information. Intimate

Partner Violence was reported by 23.9 percent of those in current relationships. 11.2 percent

thought it was acceptable for a husband or partner to hit or beat their wife. 10.5 percent said

they could not say no to sex with their spouse, and 20.4 percent said they could not say no to

sex with their partner (Yoskioka et al., 2020).

Relative to the past and recent literatures reviewed on this particular topic, the

researcher came up with this study to explore, raise the level of awareness, and make an

appropriate intervention that would increase the criminology students’ awareness of RA 9262

specifically on the policies or the implementing rules and regulation.

Research Gap

On the basis of the different studies on violence against women and their children, the

present study is a modest attempt to fill the gap of the previous studies. It was noticed that

there’s no research nor a study has been conducted in Ceguera Technological Colleges on RA

9262 for the past Academic years. Hence, this is the gap filled in by this present study.

End Notes (NOT NEEDED MAKE REFERENCES INSTEAD AT THE END OF THE

PAPER)
 29

Downloads/Violence%20Against%20Women%20in%20the%20Philippines%20-%20MDS

%20thesis%20Tria%20Garcia%202020.pdf

Downloads/Awareness_and_Perception_of_Housewives_i.pdf

Violence against women – particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence – is a

major public health problem and a violation of women's human rights.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women

Violence against women

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236955/

Papers on Research in Preventing Violence Against Women and children

file:///C:/Users/Admin/Documents/RESEARCH%20TITLE-PROPOSAL/357755-violence-

against-women-and-their-childre-143cf5e2.pdf

d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net