Advisers

Gemenelle Agsoy

Discipline

Criminology

Abstract

The Effectiveness of Anti-Bastos Law Campaign in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City as a Women's Safe Space (Republic Act No. 11313), aimed to address all forms of gender-based sexual harassment. Despite its goals, challenges such as low public awareness, limited training among authorities, and cultural tolerance toward harassment continue to hinder its full implementation. Although the law sought to protect women and promote safe public spaces, gaps remained in awareness, accessibility, and implementation at the barangay level. Hence, this research assessed the effectiveness of Anti-Bastos Law campaign and determined whether it sufficiently addressed these concerns in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City. This study adopted a quantitative descriptive research design. A self-made survey questionnaire was used as the primary instrument to gather data from 75 respondents to assess the campaign's effectiveness in terms of awareness, accessibility, and implementation. Respondents were divided into three groups: Women residing in Barangay Batasan Hills; Barangay Council members, including ASH Desk officer; and Women personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), including members of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD). Respondents were selected using purposive sampling technique. Findings showed that respondents were mainly aged 18-25 and 26-33, female, and single. In terms of perceived effectiveness, the campaign was generally ranked "Very Effective" in awareness (3.5), accessibility (3.49), and implementation (3.52). Analysis revealed a significant difference in respondents' assessments across the three variables; therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. Despite the law's good intentions, problems were identified: hesitation to report incidents due to fear or stigma, cultural beliefs and gender stereotypes discouraging women from seeking help, and limited knowledge about Anti-Bastos Law among women in the community. The study concludes that while the campaign is very effective in Barangay Batasan Hills, issues related to logistical and human resource capacity must be addressed to ensure its sustainability. Strengthened coordination between the barangay and Police Station 6, with support from NGOs and LGUs, additional patrol personnel, and improved community communication, can further enhance the program's effectiveness, rebuild public trust, and ensure that response mechanisms remain sensitive to the community's changing needs.

Keywords

Awareness, anti-bastos law, accessibility, Implementation, Gender-Based Sexual Harassment