COLEGIO DE AMORE

CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Level of Awareness of the Anti- Sexual Harassment Act (R.A 7877) Among

Selected Students of Colegio De Amore

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the

College of Criminology

Colegio De Amore

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

By:

Occasion , Christian Darrly

Buenaobra , Jovan Reyes

Orque , Mark Leindre

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, there has been increasing interest on the issue of sexual

harassment in the workplace-whether in a government office, private - corporation,

commercial firm, college or university. As a result, most government and

educational institutions in the United States and other Western countries have

formulated sexual harassment policies and appropriate sanctions for their

violation. Professional associations such as the National Education Association

(NEA), the American Council on Education (ACE), and faculty unions in

universities across the land in these countries have been active in developing

mechanisms to determine at what point relationships among superiors and

subordinates, such as faculty and students, administrators and staff, and so on,

become sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual

favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the

workplace or learning environment, according to the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Sexual harassment does not always have to be

specifically about sexual behavior or directed at a specific person. For example,

negative comments about women as a group may be a form of sexual

harassment.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Although sexual harassment laws do not usually cover teasing or offhand

comments, these behaviors can also be upsetting and have a negative emotional

effect.

It’s also important to note that sexual harassment behavior doesn’t have to

only include sex. It can be broken down into three categories: Verbal conduct, non-

verbal conduct, and unwelcome physical contact. Verbal conduct includes using

vulgar language, making lewd comments, or using sexual insults, jokes or

innuendo, making sexual advances or requesting sexual favors. Non-verbal

conduct includes using sexual gestures, displaying or sending sexually suggestive

or pornographic pictures or objects, including posts on social media. And lastly,

unwelcome physical contact involved touching, pinching, patting, brushing against

the body, kissing, or cornering or impeding another person’s movement, and

criminal behavior including sexual assault and rape.

Verbal examples of sexual harassment may include: making sexual

comments about a person’s body, making sexual comments or innuendos, asking

about sexual fantasies, preferences or history, asking personal questions about

someone’s social or sex life, making sexual comments about a person’s clothing,

anatomy, or looks, repeatedly trying to date a person who is not interested, telling

lies or spreading rumors about a person’s sex life or sexual preferences.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Examples of non-verbal harassment include: looking a person up and down

(‘elevator eyes’), following or stalking someone, using sexually suggestive visuals,

making sexual gestures with the hands or through body movements, using facial

expressions such as winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips.

Instances of physical harassment include: giving someone a massage

around the neck or shoulders, touching another person’s clothing, hair, or body,

hugging, kissing, patting, touching or rubbing oneself sexually against another

person.

The key concept in understanding harassment is will be any overtures are

unwelcome. A person may welcome and accept a sexist remark or a comment

about their body, but this is likely to depend on the particular situation and

circumstances. However, it is important to remember that even if someone accepts

or welcomes the behavior, it may still be degrading and humiliating. In addition,

such acceptance may not be fully voluntary: it may be a result of often invisible

pressure from the outside world.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Theoretical Framework

Sexual Harassment as a” Gendered Expression of Power" theory proposed

by Catherine MacKinnon in her book "Sexual Harassment of Working Women"

(1979). MacKinnon argues that sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that

stems from the power imbalance between men and women, rooted in patriarchal

social structures. This theory has been influential in shaping legal and policy

approaches to addressing sexual harassment.

This theory served as a useful aid in knowing the level of awareness of

selected college students Colegio De Amore regarding R.A 7877 and the various

factors that contribute to the committed anti-sexual harassment that exist at the

individual, relationship, and community.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Conceptual Framework

To further actualize the flow of the study, a graphical illustration is presented

below:

Educational Program

School Policies

Level of
Awareness of Understanding
Media Exposure
among Senior
RA 7877
High School

Peer Influence

Family Discussion

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

This framework demonstrates that the awareness of the Anti-Sexual

Harassment Act (R.A 7877) among selected students is influenced by educational

programs, school policies, media exposure, peer influence, and family

discussions. These factors collectively determine the level of awareness among

the students, leading to the desired outcome of enhanced understanding and

prevention of sexual harassment.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Statement of the Problem

This study was conducted to determine the Level of Awareness of Anti –Sexual

Harassment Act (R.A 7877) among Selected Students of Colegio De Amore, it

aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the demographic profiles of the respondents in terms of:

1.1) Age

1.2) Gender

1.3) Year Level

1.4) Life Status

2. What is the level of awareness among selected students of Colegio De Amore

regarding the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (R.A. 7877) in terms of:

2.1 Availability of educational resources about R.A. 7877 within the institution.

2.2 Seminars or workshops to educate students about the law.

2.3 Institutional policies and procedures for handling sexual harassment cases.

3. Is there a significant relationship between the demographic profile of the

respondents and the level of awareness of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (R.A.

7877) among selected students of Colegio De Amore?

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Null Hypothesis

The following null hypotheses were tested:

1. There is no significant relationship between the profile and the level of

awareness encountered

2. There is no significant relationship difference on the level of awareness when

group according to profile

Significance of the Study

This study will beneficial to the following:

Students. This study will provide information about the Level of Awareness of the

Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (R.A. 7877) among Selected Students of Colegio De

Amore and introduce this system to students gain knowledge about the anti-sexual

harassment.

Women. This research will help a lot of women to know their importance and

strengths.

School. This research will let the school change their perception and let

awareness perceived them about the women’s right.

Future Researchers. This study will be useful reference for the researchers who

would plan to make any related study, and to test existing study and develop new

studies

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The goal of this study is to measure the level of awareness regarding the

Level of Awareness of the Anti- Sexual Harassment Act (R.A 7877) Among

Selected Students of Colegio De Amore.

Moreover, this study deals with the Level of Awareness of the Anti- Sexual

Harassment Act (R.A 7877) and the scope of this study will be started on June

2024. The researchers limited their respondents to the selected Senior high

school student of Colegio de Amore.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Definition of terms

The following terms are herein defined operationally and conceptually to

facilities the readers clearer understanding this study:

Sexual Harassment. Refers unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual

favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the

workplace or learning environment, according to the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

R.A 7877. An act declaring sexual harassment unlawful in the employment,

education or training environment, and for other purposes.

Feminist. At its core, feminism is about all genders having equal rights,

opportunities, and treatment.

Consent. Can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions

create clear permission regarding willingness to engage in the sexual activity.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

METHODOLOGY

This section presents and discusses the important components of the

research undertaken by the researchers. It includes discussion of the research

design, population and sampling techniques, research instrument, data, gathering

procedures, statistical tools and ethical consideration.

Research Design

This study will use the descriptive research design, specifically, quantitative

research method. According to McCombes (2019), descriptive research aims to

accurately and systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It

can answer what, when, where, when and how questions, but not why questions.

As cited by Hopkins (2008) quantitative research aims to determine the

relationship between an independent variable and a dependent or outcome

variable in a population.

The existence of technology and the phenomenon will be the best though

descriptive research to present accurately the portrayal of the Level of Awareness

of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (R.A.7877) among Selected Student of Colegio

De Amore.

While, Ritchie et al. (2013) as cited by Rudison (2015) opined that by using

the descriptive method the researcher will be able to observe a large mass of

target population and make required conclusions about the variables. The

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

researchers by using descriptive research can effectively design a pre-structured

questionnaire. The information collected from the responses of can be statistically

presented in this type of research method. Since the researchers are trying to

analyze the people’s opinion, attitude, behavior and satisfaction level in relation to

criminological topics hence the researcher should effectively use the descriptive

method in order to statically analyze the data

Respondents and Sampling Techniques

The respondents of the study will be those selected students in Colegio De

Amore Year 2024-2025. To aware those students in their action with regards in

sexual harassment. The researchers will use Simple Random Sampling

Technique. This type of Sampling Techniques is Simple random sampling, or SRS,

occurs when each sample participant has the same probability of being chosen for

the study. The researchers utilized 100 students.

Research Instrument

A self-made survey questionnaire will be formulated by the researchers base

on the existing literatures and results of previous studies. The research tool was

presented in checklist from which the first part focused on the demographic profile

of the respondents that include: The Age, Gender, Year Level and Life Status of

the respondents. The second part was the presented also in checklist form which

focused on the dependent variables of the study which is the level of awareness

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

among selected students of Colegio De Amore regarding the Anti- Sexual

Harassment Act (R.A 7877)

Data Gathering Procedure

The data gathering procedure followed the following procedures. The first

step in data gathering was the formulation and validation of the research

instrument.

The most vital and critical component of the study is the conduct of the

survey since it is the primary source of data that determine the Level of Awareness

of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (R.A.7877) among the Selected students in

Colegio De Amore. The researchers will sought permission to those selected

college students. The questionnaires were personally handed and the contents

were carefully explained to the respondents in order for them to answer it with

honesty and integrity. Thereafter, the administration of the questionnaire was

retrieved, and the data were tallied, computed, analyzed, and interpreted. After

which, the researcher obtained related studies and literature to support the results

of the study. The researcher also consulted some personnel that they believe can

help to improve this study.

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 COLEGIO DE AMORE
CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Indang-Trece Road, Brgy. Luciano, TreceMartires City, Cavite

Statistical Treatment of Data

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