Not only a woman, I'm more than that

"You are only a woman. You have NO rights!", Only a woman?ONLY? This is the sad reality that most women still experience nowadays. Hurtful words that pierce through their hearts like it's made out of paper, disregarding any rights or proof of all of their efforts because they're 'only' a "powerless" gender seen to almost all. They're often taken advantage of because of everyone's thoughts that women are powerless and will never have enough courage to speak the truth; that's how some completely hideous people see women. They see them as toys and dolls that are made 'exclusively' for men and the society to play with.

Do we really want to keep living in this harsh reality where women are seen as tools for pleasure? Thankfully there have been many laws implemented protecting the rights of women and protecting them against violence. Such as RA 8353 or The Anti-Rape Law of 1997 and RA 11313 or Safe Spaces Act. RA 8353 (The Anti-Rape Law of 1997) Under this law it considers that any person, whether a prostituted person, non-virgin or one who has an active sexual life may be victimized by rape. By declaring that rape is a crime against persons, the law no longer considers it as a private crime. Anyone who has knowledge of the crime may file a case on the victim's behalf. It also classifies rape as a public crime, meaning anyone who knows about the crime can file a case on the victim's behalf. The law also includes provisions to protect the victim's identity and dignity throughout the legal process.Penalties if found guilty of committing this crime: If Simple rape is committed the standard punishment is reclusion perpetua, which is a prison sentence of 20 to 40 years without parole. Whilst if Qualified rape is committed the penalty can be increased to death if the crime is committed under aggravating circumstances, such as: -The victim is under 18 and the offender is a relative, guardian, or common-law spouse of the victim's parent. -The victim becomes insane as a result of the rape. -The offender uses a deadly weapon or commits the rape with multiple people. -The victim is a child under 7 years old. -The offender has HIV/AIDS or another sexually transmitted disease that they transmit to the victim. -The offender is a member of the military, police, or law enforcement agency who takes advantage of their position. -The victim suffers permanent physical mutilation or disability . -The offender knew the victim had a mental disability, emotional disorder, or physical handicap. Additionally RA 11313 or Safe Spaces Act is another act protecting women.

Under this law it aims to prevent gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, online, and in institutions. Disobeying the said law will lead to the following penalties including: Paying for Civil Damages and spending time in jail. The penalty given to the offender depends on how 'heavy' the crime commited is, with the penalties divided intro three. First offense: A fine of P1,000 and 12 hours of community service, including attending a Gender Sensitivity Seminar. Second offense: A fine of P15,000 or 11 to 30 days in jail. Third offense: A fine of P20,000 and 1 month and 1 day to 6 months in jail. It may be true that there are more than two laws protecting women against violence. But the penalties under this laws are not enough to make predators and offenders stop.As said no amount of money will replace the dignity of the victim that disappeared because of the 'unmolded' minds of suspects. No amount of law and punishment will be enough to stop them. Because whatever a women wears, says, or does will be the main effect of danger approaching them; A rapist will always have the mind of a rapist, it does not depend on how a woman dresses or talks, it depends on how a man thinks. References: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2019/ra_11313_2019.html&ved=2ahUKEwjGwaX9ipmKAxV2h1YBHYmtJNEQFnoECB0QAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw0D-sIU-6gVK_7J0zMJ2owR