Anne pinanigan ang apela ng UNICEF

KITANG-KITA KO
ni Danny Vibas

NAKABIBILIB din ang pagiging aktibista ni Anne Curtis sa sarili n’yang paraan. Sa ngayon, ipinararamdam n’ya yon sa pagpanig sa apela ng UNICEF na itaas ang age of sexual consent sa Pilipinas from 12 years old to 16.

Sa ilalim ng Anti-Rape Law of 1997 ng Pilipinas, rape is committed when the offended party is “under 12 years of age.”  ‘Yan ay nangangahulugan na isa tayo sa mga bansa na may pinakamababang ages of consent, ns pinapayagan ang isang adult na makipag-sex sa mga batang 12 years old na.

 Sa ilalim ng1930 Revised Penal Code, ang pakikipag-sex sa isang batang wala pang 12 years old ay itinuturing na statutory rape na may parusang pagkabilanggo habambubay. 

Bumabaliktad umano ang sikmura ni Anne sa batas ng napakababang age of consent for sexual acts. Aniya sa isang series of posts sa kanyang Twitter ilang araw lang ang nakalipas: “This makes me sick in the tummy. You aren’t even legally allowed to get married, vote, get a license yet. But this is allowed?” 

Curtis stressed the need to raise the age of consent in the country as “urgent,” calling members of Congress to pass a law addressing the matter.

Bigay-diin pa n’ya: “I stand with UNICEF as they call on the Philippine Congress to immediately pass a law that increases the age of statutory rape to at least 16.”

Curtis also stressed the need for male victims of child abuse to be likewise  protected, as current law’s definition of rape only involves “having carnal knowledge of a woman.”

Paliwanag n’ya: “It doesn’t matter if the child is a boy or a girl. The trauma these children suffer from is exactly the same. They should have equal protection rights.”

Mariing apela n’ya: “With the opening of congress happening soon I believe this to be a grave matter, [especially] during this time where children are potentially more at risk. HEAR US and PROTECT THE CHILDREN.”

Si Anne ay goodwill ambassador for UNICEF mula noong dalaga pa siya. 

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives approved the bill to raise the age of sexual consent to 16 in December last year. The Senate is yet to pass a counterpart measure, but a bill has been approved by Senate panels in October 2020.