Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on for a senate probe over alleged sexual harassment cases in schools.
Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution 168 urging the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality to conduct the probe with the end in view of “creating safe spaces for students that are conducive for their learning and making perpetrators accountable for the consequences of their actions, consistent with the provisions of the Safe Spaces Act.”
Hontiveros is the chairman of the panel and the author of the Safe Spaces Act.
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“Sexual harassment cases brought up to educational institutions’ notice must be resolved in a transparent, pro-active, and timely manner in order to ensure the swift delivery of justice. Schools must remain a safe havens for students,” the resolution added.
“Teachers and perpetrators who harass students have no business remaining in schools in the company of young students and must be made to answer for the consequences of their actions,” Hontiveros said in her resolution.
Hontiveros said the cases in Cavite, Quezon City and Laguna schools are examples of why lawmakers should look into these alleged abuses.
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“Sigurado na hindi lang ang mga paaralang ito ang may mga kaso ng karahasan, pang-aabuso, at harassment. Often, victim-survivors do not report because their abusers are persons of authority. How many more of our students are suffering in silence? Hindi pwedeng hayaan lang natin ito,” she said.
“The issues in both resolutions will be tackled in the hearing next week, in time for the opening of face-to-face classes. Hindi pwedeng hindi ito matugunan habang papasok na ang ating mga anak sa eskwela,” Hontiveros added.
