REPUBLIC ACT 1131

AN ACT DEFINING GENDER-BASED SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN

STREETS, PUBLIC SPACES, ONLINE, WORKPLACE AND EDUCATION
OR TRAINING INSTITUTIO, PROVIDING PROTECTIVE MEASURES
AND PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR.
BACKGROUND
Safe Spaces Bill introduced by Senator Risa
Hontiveros would lapse into law, but on July 15, 2019,
President Duterte affixed his signature on the
document, effectively making it a law, aptly
named Safe Spaces Act.
SAFE SPACE ACT
It is an act defining sexual harassment in streets, public spaces,
workplaces, and educational institutions.
Public spaces can also refer to online environments. It also prohibits
making unwanted sexual remarks and comments online, including
uploading or sharing someone’s photos or videos without consent. These
photos or videos do not have to be explicit or sexual in nature.
The Safe Spaces Act defines online sexual harassment as “the use of
information and communication technology in terrorizing and intimidating
victims through physical, psychological, and emotional threats.” The law
has put heavier penalties for online sexual harassment than those
occurring in physical public spaces.
SAFE SPACE ACT
Men, LGBT, and children are also protected. It is not only
women who are protected under the Safe Spaces Act
because it recognizes that anyone can perpetuate sexual
harassment and anyone can be a victim of sexual
harassment.
For violations that occur in public spaces, there are first,
second, and third degree offenses, all of which can also
occur in cyberspace.
 Gender-based Street and Public Spaces Sexual
Harassment
Committed through any unwanted and uninvited actions or remarks against any person
regardless of the motive for committing such action or remarks, Including:

Catcalling; Relentless requests for personal details;

Wolf-whistling; Statement of sexual comments and
Unwanted invitations; suggestions;
Misogynistic; Public masturbation or flashing of private
parts;
Transphobic;
Groping; or
Homophobic;
any advance, whether verbal or physical
Sexist slurs;
that is unwanted and has threatened one’s
Persistent uninvited comments or gestures sense of personal space and physical safety
on a person’s appearance;
Safe Space Act is committed Public
Spaces such as:
◦Alleys
◦Roads
◦Sidewalks; and
◦Parks
Acts constitutive of gender-based streets
sexual harassment are those performed in:
o Buildings; o Bars;
o Schools; o Internet shops;
o Churches; o Public Markets;
o Restaurants; o Transportation terminals;
o Malls; o Public Utility Vehicle;
o Public Washrooms;
Other prohibited acts online include the following:
Unwanted sexual misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist remarks and
comments online whether publicly or through direct and private messages;
Invasion of victim's privacy through cyberstalking and incessant messaging;
Uploading and sharing, without the consent of the victims, any form of media that
contains photos, voice, or video with sexual content;
Unauthorized recording and sharing of any of the victim's photos, videos, or any
information online;
Impersonating identities of victims online or posting lies about victims to harm their
reputation;
Filing false abuse reports to online platforms to silence victims;

Penalties for violating such prohibitions are imprisonment of up

to two years or a fine of P100,000 to P500,000, or both.
PENALTIES
First Degree Offenses
First degree offenses are relatively lighter offenses, and can cost you a fine of up to P10,000 and 30 days in jail.

The following are considered first degree offenses under the Safe Spaces Act:

a. Cursing
b. Catcalling
c. Wolf-whistling
d. Leering and intrusive gazing
e. Taunting, unwanted invitations
f. Persistent telling of sexual jokes
g. Use of sexual names, comments, and demands
h. Persistent unwanted comments on one’s appearance
i. Misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist slurs
j. Relentless requests for personal details such as name, contact, and social media details or
destination
k. Any statement that has made an invasion on a person's personal space or threatens the
person's sense of personal safety
l. Use of words, gestures, or actions that ridicule on the basis of sex, gender, or sexual
orientation; identity and/or expression including sexist, homophobic, transphobic statements
and slurs
 PENALTIES
Second Degree Offenses
Second degree offenses are more serious offenses, and can cost you a fine of up to P20,000 and six
months in jail.

The following are considered second degree offenses under the Safe Spaces Act:
a. Groping
b. Public masturbation
c. Flashing of private parts
d. Making offensive body gestures at someone
e. Other similar lewd actions
 PENALTIES
Third Degree Offenses
Third degree offenses are the most serious offenses, and can cost you a fine of up to P100,000 and six
months in jail.

The following are considered third degree offenses under the Safe Spaces Act:

a. Stalking
b. Sexual advances, gestures, and statements mentioned previously with pinching or
brushing against the body of the offended person
c. Touching, pinching, or brushing against the genitalia, face, arms, anus, groin, breasts,
inner thighs, face, buttocks, or any part of the victim's body