What does the anti-Bastos law cover?

Asked by: Barrett Roberts Jr.  |  Last update: March 25, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (38 votes)

The "Anti-Bastos Law," officially the Republic Act No. 11313 (Safe Spaces Act) of the Philippines, covers gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) in public spaces, workplaces, and online, penalizing acts like catcalling, unwanted comments, cyberstalking, and non-consensual sharing of media, expanding protections beyond the older Anti-Sexual Harassment Act to include offenses without requiring authority, and explicitly protecting LGBTQ+ individuals. It mandates employers and institutions to prevent these acts and imposes penalties like fines, imprisonment, and community service.

What is the purpose of the anti-Bastos law?

It aims to protect all individuals, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression, from all forms of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) committed in public spaces, educational or training institutions, workplaces, and online spaces.

What does RA 11313 protect?

11313 to help strengthen its implementation and enforcement, thus, ensuring that individuals are protected from gender-based harassment and violence and, ultimately, toward creating safe spaces for all Filipinos.

What is the anti-bastos law case?

ANTI-BASTOS LAW or SAFE SPACE ACT(RA 11313) Sexual harassment, catcalling, lewd remarks, unwanted advances, or any form of gender-based harassment will not be tolerated in the workplace. ✅ REPORT IMMEDIATELY if you experience or witness any incident.

Are there any exemptions under RA 11313?

Exemptions. —Acts that are legitimate expressions of indigenous culture and tradition, as well as breastfeeding in public shall not be penalized.

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What is the penalty of bawal bastos law?

Safe Spaces Act Republic Act 11313 RA 11313 Safe Space Act (Bawal Bastos Law) Penalties for first degree offenses • First Offense: Php 1,000.000 fine and community service within 12 hours of Gender Sensitivity Seminar. Second Offense: Php 3,000.00 fine and six to ten days imprisonment.

What are the four elements of a harassment claim?

A harassment claim typically requires proving the conduct was unwelcome, based on a protected characteristic, severe or pervasive enough to alter work conditions, and that there's a basis for imputing liability to the employer, often by showing they knew or should have known and failed to act. These elements establish a hostile work environment, demonstrating the behavior was objectively offensive and interfered with work performance.
 

What are the three types of harassment?

The three primary types of harassment often categorized are Verbal/Written, Physical, and Visual, which create hostile environments through offensive language, unwanted touching/assault, or inappropriate images/gestures, respectively, though harassment also includes discriminatory and sexual forms that overlap these categories. These behaviors, whether explicit or subtle, target individuals based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or religion, making a workplace intimidating, hostile, or offensive.
 

What is the main difference between RA 7877 and RA 11313?

A peer or someone of lower rank may now be held criminally liable under this expanded definition of sexual harassment. The main difference between the sexual harassment under RA 7877 and RA 11313 is that under the former law, consent by the victim is immaterial.

What are examples of serious misconduct?

Examples include: causing serious and imminent risk to the health and safety of another person or to the reputation or profits of their employer's business, theft, fraud, assault, sexual harassment or refusing to carry out a lawful and reasonable instruction that is part of the job. Other known term: misconduct.

What penalties exist for violating RA 11313?

-The penalty of prision correccional in its medium period or a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (₱100,000.00) but not more than Five hundred thousand pesos (₱500,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court shall be imposed upon any person found guilty of any gender-based online sexual harassment.

What is the Stalking Act 2019?

The Stalking Protection Act 2019 (c. 9) is an Act of Parliament put forward as a private member's bill by then Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston which creates a civil protection order to prevent stalking.

What are the acts punishable under RA 11313?

– Gender-based online sexual harassment includes acts that use information and communications technology in terrorizing and intimidating victims through physical, psychological, and emotional threats, unwanted sexual misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist remarks and comments online whether publicly or ...

How does RA 11313 differ from other laws?

It was in 2019 when Republic Act number 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act was signed into law. RA one one three one three broadened the scope of protection in areas beyond the traditional settings like and school to include public areas, online platforms, and even daily commutes.

What defines harassment under the law?

Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status, or pregnancy), national origin, older age (beginning at age 40), disability, or genetic information (including family medical history).

Who are protected by the "Anti-Bastos Law"?

The Safe Spaces Act, also known as the Anti-Bastos Law, aims to protect women and LGBTQ+ individuals from gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, online, in workplaces and educational institutions.

What are the protected categories of harassment?

The protected classes include: age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or any other bases under the law.

What is the jurisprudence of RA 11313?

11313 OR "AN ACT DEFINING GENDER-BASED SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN STREETS, PUBLIC SPACES, ONLINE, WORKPLACES, AND EDUCATIONAL OR TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, PROVIDING PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR", OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "SAFE SPACES ACT"

What is the purpose of the Protection from Harassment Act?

The Protection from Harassment Act 17 of 2011 intends: to provide for the issuing of protection orders against harassment; to effect consequential amendments to the Firearms Control Act, 2000; and. to provide for matters connected therewith.

What kind of proof do you need for harassment?

To prove harassment, you need a combination of your detailed personal testimony (dates, times, details) and corroborating evidence like emails, texts, photos, videos, or witness statements describing the unwelcome conduct, especially when it's severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile environment, impacting your work or safety, with saved records of your reports to management/HR being crucial. Medical records documenting harm and documentation of any official complaints and the employer's response also significantly strengthen your case. 

What are the 5 ds of harassment?

The 5Ds are different methods – Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct – that you can use to support someone who's being harassed, emphasize that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate to people in your life that they have the power to make their community safer.

What are the 9 grounds of harassment?

Whereas harassment is an act which subjects a person to unwanted conduct on any of the nine protected dis- criminatory grounds gender, marital status, family status, age disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, and membership of the Traveller community; the EEAs do not apply to a generalised bullying situation ...

What is the burden of proof for harassment claims?

The burden of proof in a claim can be defined as the standard that needs to be reached in order for the claim to succeed. In criminal court, the court must find that harassment occurred 'beyond all reasonable doubt', this is a high standard of proof which can make criminal harassment cases more challenging to win.

What damages can I recover in a harassment case?

Non-economic damages that may be recovered in a California workplace harassment case include emotional distress, inconvenience, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Punitive damages are intended to punish the employer rather than compensate the victim and deter similar conduct in the future.

What are the points to prove for harassment?

In order for a person to be found guilty of the offence of harassment under section 2, the Prosecution would need to prove the following: That the defendant pursued a course of conduct against another; This conduct amounted to harassment; and. The defendant ought to have known that this conduct amounted to harassment.