Understanding Why Sexist Remarks Persist
The Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313) was landmark legislation designed to protect Filipinos—particularly women—from gender-based harassment in public spaces, schools, and workplaces. Yet years after its passage, sexist remarks, unwanted comments, and various forms of harassment continue to plague Filipino society. Why does this persist despite legal protections?
The Gap Between Law and Reality
While the law establishes clear penalties for offenders, enforcement remains inconsistent across different sectors and regions. Many incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation, victim-blaming, or simply not recognizing that certain behaviors constitute criminal acts.
Power Dynamics Drive Harassment
According to studies, sexual harassment is deeply entwined with the distribution and misuse of power, particularly in systems where women occupy subordinate positions. Perpetrators often exploit power imbalances, making victims reluctant to speak up.
Research from the University of Illinois Chicago (2025) further clarifies that gender-based harassment is not generally motivated by sexual interest or intent. Instead, it serves as a tool to assert dominance, maintain hierarchies, and reinforce gender-based discrimination.
What the Safe Spaces Act Actually Covers
The law casts a wide net in defining prohibited behaviors, recognizing that harassment extends beyond physical acts. Verbal abuse, wolf-whistling, unwanted sexual comments, and even persistent remarks about one's appearance fall under its scope.
Defining Gender-Based Sexual Harassment
Under RA 11313, gender-based sexual harassment includes any unwanted sexual favor request and other verbal or nonverbal harassment with the effect of humiliating, intimidating, or creating a hostile environment. The law acknowledges that even 'words can wound.'
The Rise of 'Pitik Photography'
One particularly modern phenomenon addressed by the law is 'Pitik photography'—the act of secretly taking photos or videos of a person in a sexual or harassing manner. This practice, once dismissed as harmless joking, is now considered a criminal offense under the Safe Spaces Act.
Why Awareness Alone Is Not Enough
A recent study involving Metro Roxas Water District employees reveals an important finding: demographic factors such as age, gender, civil status, educational attainment, and employment type do not significantly influence awareness of the Safe Spaces Act or encounters with gender-based harassment.
Workplace Training and Organizational Culture
The study concludes that awareness levels were likely influenced by broader factors, including workplace training and organizational culture, rather than by individual traits. This suggests that formal education about the law does not automatically translate to changed behavior.
Beyond Individual Demographics
The research implies that even well-informed individuals can become harassers or bystanders. What matters more is whether their environment condones or discourages such behavior. A supervisor who makes sexist jokes sets a different tone than one who actively challenges them.
Moving Forward: Addressing Root Causes
Experts argue that fighting harassment requires more than knowing the law. It demands a fundamental shift in how power is exercised and how gender roles are understood in Filipino society.
Challenging Harmful Norms
From childhood, many Filipinos are exposed to jokes and comments that normalize sexist behavior. Catcalling, mansplaining, and objectifying remarks are often treated as compliments rather than violations. Changing these mindsets requires consistent education starting at home and in schools.
Creating Lasting Change
For the Safe Spaces Act to achieve its full potential, workplaces must foster cultures where reporting is encouraged and perpetrators face real consequences. Only then can the law move from being an underutilized tool to a genuine deterrent.
