Safe spaces, free voices: Advocacy for dignity

Fresh from her successful campaign for a party-list House seat in the recent midterm elections, former Senator Leila de Lima has once again stepped into the national discourse as an advocate of dignity in the digital age.

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Taking the cudgels for actress Nadine Lustre, de Lima has called attention to Republic Act 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act. This law was enacted on April 17, 2019, supplementing the existing Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, to ensure and enhance protection of individuals from gender-based online harassment and other forms of abuse, whether on the street, at work, in schools, or, increasingly, on social media platforms.

Lustre became the target of online hate after she shared a post perceived by some as critical of former president Rodrigo Duterte, following news of his arrest and detention at The Hague in March. The backlash she received was immediate and vitriolic, reminding us all how fragile public discourse has become—and how necessary it is to protect not just the right to speak, but the right to speak safely.