WHEN A MAN HURTS A WOMAN
The Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004


Although seemingly biased by singling out women and children, Republic Act No. 9262 ("Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004") in fact emphasizes that men, women and children have equal rights to protection. When a man raises his hand against his wife or child, or gets into the habit of doing so, the law can step in to stay his blows.

The Act penalizes a host of acts which a man can resort to in order to coerce, hurt, or otherwise abuse women. The law has seen fit to recognize that while everyone is equal, women and children can be at a great disadvantage when it comes to acts of violence, intimidation and pressure. It has recognized “the need to protect the family and its members particularly women and children, from violence and threats to their personal safety and security.” (Section 2)

And the law goes beyond the traditional family setting. It prohibits violence committed “against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a ***ual 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, ***ual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.xxx” (Section 3)

Acts of Violence

The law recognizes that these acts of violence against women and their children can be by physical violence, ***ual violence, psychological violence, and economic abuse. (Section 2).

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