« Provided that a person who has carnal intercourse with another person under sixteen (16) years of age shall have no criminal responsibility if the age difference between the parties is not more than three (3) years and the sexual act in question is manifestly consensual, non-abusive and non-exploitative: If the victim is under thirteen (13) years of age: This exception does not apply (sic), » the law states. Change is long overdue. We call on the Philippine government to prioritize the immediate passage of a law that raises the legal age of sexual consent from under 12 to under 16. #EndChildRape now. More recently, data collected by Save the Children (Philippines) in just two months of the coronavirus pandemic – June to July 2020 – showed that 16.2% of respondents aged 10 to 17 spoke of sexual abuse. This is in line with the « Romeo and Juliet laws » that have been enforced in several countries to avoid consensual sex between teenagers. For example, in the state of Ohio in the United States, despite the age of consent of 16, consensual sexual relations between people 13 years of age and older with a partner under 18 years of age are considered legal. Even in France, where the age of consent is 15, consensual sexual relations between a minor and a partner for up to five years longer are allowed. Learn more about this topic and the proposed legislative changes: www.unicef.org/…/un-philippines-statement. As there is no age-related exemption in the Philippines, it is possible for two people under the age of 12 who voluntarily engage in sexual intercourse to both be prosecuted for legal rape, although this is rare. Similarly, no protection is reserved for sexual relations where one participant is 11 years old and the second 12 or 13 years old.

The new law stipulates that seduction is committed « when the perpetrator has carnal knowledge of one of the persons described therein and in the circumstances described therein ». Victims` advocates also argue that lowering the age of consent has contributed to what international human rights organizations have described as high levels of sex trafficking and teenage pregnancy in the Philippines, compounded by gaps in enforcement of existing laws. On the other hand, non-exploitation means that there is no real or attempted act or action that unfairly exploits the child`s position of vulnerability, different power or trust during sexual activity. While raising the age of consent brings many cases of sexual abuse into the realm of crime, a UNICEF guidance note also argues that 12 is « too low » for consent because the child « barely got through puberty. » « The part of a child`s brain that processes their understanding of the consequences of their decisions has not evolved at age 12 and continues to evolve at age 18. Therefore, setting the age of sexual consent at 12 contradicts scientific findings on brain development, as well as physical and emotional maturity, » the document reads. « We welcome this legal development and hope it will help protect young girls from rape and sexual abuse, » said Josalee Deinla, spokesperson for the National Union of People`s Advocates, which provides legal aid to poor and marginalized people in the Philippines. Under the revised law, signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday and released on Monday, sexual relations with anyone under the age of 16 are illegal and carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. In January, he signed a law banning child marriage in a country where one in six girls marry before the age of 18. There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation. Children`s rights activists have been pushing for decades to raise the age of consent, but stubborn social norms in this deeply religious country, where abortion and divorce are illegal, have thwarted their efforts.

« The United Nations has long been concerned about the alarming age of sexual consent in the Philippines, » Gustavo González, UN humanitarian coordinator and coordinator, said in a July 2021 statement. Lawrence Fortun, one of the bill`s main sponsors, described it as « a big step forward. » Exceptions are made for teenage couples, provided that their age difference does not exceed three years and the sex is consensual. « It`s very important to have a clear age to determine legal rape, and the under-12s of a 1930 law was just something that couldn`t be justified. » The exemption does not apply if one of the parties was under 13 years of age. The Philippines on Monday raised the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the amendment to the Special Protection of Children from Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. But as of Monday, the law hadn`t been changed in 91 years. Factors included a lack of education and understanding among legislators and the public of concepts such as children`s cognitive development and the ability to give informed consent, UNICEF Philippines Child Protection Officer Patrizia Benvenuti said in 2021. Share this post #SONA2021 and identify our senators. The new law allows consensual sexual relations between a person under the age of 16 and a partner whose age difference does not exceed three years, provided there is no intimidation or exploitation. The partner must not be under 13 years of age.

« Children, men or women, who engage in sexual intercourse or lustful behavior for money, profit or other considerations, or because of the coercion or influence of an adult, trade union or group, are considered children exploited in prostitution or other sexual abuse, » the law states. « High-quality telescopes in every district of Rajasthan to promote astro-tourism » When the Philippine Age of Consent Amendment Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives, he noted that UNICEF`s age of consent « does not match the international average. » In most countries, the age of consent is 16. RA 11648 also directs the Department of Education to include and teach age-appropriate subjects in basic education curricula that address children`s rights and protections in relation to the law. MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a measure that raises the age of sexual consent to 16, meaning that any adult engaged in sexual activity with a minor under the age of 16 is automatically guilty of rape. A separate bill targeting online child sexual abuse and exploitation is currently before Congress.