Immediately pass the Act that will address the system of prostitution -- a law that will remove criminality of victims-survivors by removing vagrancy as a crime, impose greater penalties on the perpetrators (both Buyers and Business), and provide protective measures and support services for all victims-survivors of prostitution, especially women and children.
Petition to Immediately Pass the Anti-Prostitution Bill
We, the undersigned citizens, believe that prostitution is a severe form of women's human rights violation and should be immediately addressed, towards elimination.
We, therefore, strongly urge our honorable Senators and House Representatives to immediately pass the anti-prostitution bill or Committee Report No. 50 on SB 1836, sponsored by Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Sen. Pia Cayetano, amending the Revised Penal Code provision on White Slavery and repealing Art. 202, with reference to prostitutes. The counterpart bill at the House of Representatives is HB 970, sponsored by Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, etc.) The bill decriminalizes persons exploited in prostitution and punishes the business and buyers of prostitution as they consist the demand side to this system of exploitation.
The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women - Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), together with survivors and other women's groups, have been lobbying for its passage in the last 9 years. The Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262), the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (RA 9208) and the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 (RA 8353), all took 8-10 years before passage. It must be more than enough waiting for the women's groups for this law to be enacted.
Rest assured that we will support and continue to monitor developments regarding this bill.
To view the copy of the bill, paste this link on your browser: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19519239/HB-970
