Gender-Based Harassment Legislation in Higher Education: Awareness and Policy Implications Under the Philippine Safe Spaces Act
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.07.05.29Keywords:
Campus safety, Gender-based sexual harassment, Philippine legislation, Policy implementation, Safe Spaces Act of 2018, Students and staffAbstract
The Philippines enacted the Safe Spaces Act of 2018, to prevent and address gender-based sexual harassment in public and private spaces, including educational institutions. As higher education institutions play a vital role in socialization, personal development, and norm formation, awareness and effective implementation of the Act among students and staff are essential in ensuring safe, inclusive, and harassment-free learning environments.
This study assessed the extent of awareness of the Safe Spaces Act of 2018 among students and staff of a higher education institution in Tagaytay City, Philippines, examined differences in awareness when respondents were grouped according to demographic and professional profiles, and proposed policy-oriented recommendations. Employing a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design, data were gathered from 535 respondents comprising students, teaching, and non-teaching personnel using a validated awareness survey based on a four-point Likert scale. Statistical analyses included frequency distribution, weighted mean, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc Scheffé tests.
Results revealed an overall Very High Level of Awareness of the Safe Spaces Act (overall mean = 3.50), indicating strong institutional compliance supported by awareness programs, clear policies, reporting mechanisms, and enforcement measures. No significant difference in awareness was found when respondents were grouped by gender; however, significant differences emerged when grouped according to role, age, and years of stay in the institution, with teaching personnel, older respondents, and those with longer institutional tenure demonstrating higher awareness levels.
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