Republic Act No. 8505 (Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998)

The State, in collaboration with various agencies and non-government organizations shall provide necessary assistance and protection for rape victims. Republic Act No. 8505 provides for the establishment and operation of a rape crisis center in every province and city that shall assist and protect rape victims in the litigation of their cases and their recovery.

Salient provisions include the following:

• Section 3 provides that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and a lead non-government organization (NGO) with proven track record or experience in handling sexual abuse cases, shall establish in every province and city a rape crisis center located in a government hospital or health clinic or in any other suitable place.
• Section 4 provides for the establishment of a women’s desk in every police precinct throughout the country and to provide a police woman to conduct investigation of complaints of women rape victims. The preliminary investigation proper or inquest of women rape victims must be assigned to female prosecutor or prosecutors after the police shall have endorsed all the pertinent papers thereof to the same office.
• Section 5.Provides for the establishment of protective measures recognizing the right to privacy of the offended party and the accused. The investigating officer or prosecutor shall inform the parties that the proceedings can be conducted in a language or dialect known or familiar to them.