To prevent rape and abuse, Philippines raises age of sexual consent to 16
Categories: FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Under the new law, sex with a person under 16 will be illegal. It will also carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in jail. Margarita Ardivilla, child protection specialist at the UN children's fund UNICEF in the Philippines said, "Having this law is a very good protective instrument for our children from sexual violence, whether or not it starts online or whether or not it also starts in a face-to-face encounter." A joint 2015 study by UNICEF and the Center for women's resources, which is a local non-governmental group, showed that 7 out of 10 rape victims in the Philippines were children. The study further revealed that one in every five respondents aged 13 to 17 reported experiencing sexual violence. Also, one in 25 experienced forced consummated sex during childhood. As per Rowena Legaspi, executive director of the Children's Legal Rights and Development Center, the law "sends a very strong message that child rape is a heinous crime and must be punished accordingly."