Download this publication - AIDS Data Hub

2. Purpose of the victimIt is also necessary to determine what the victim wants. Is it to havethe offender punished such as by imprisonment? If so, filing a criminalsuit is appropriate. If the victim is more in need of financialcompensation, a civil suit could be more appropriate.Or it could be that while seeking justice, what the victim wants, is tomaintain good relations, and if damaged, to have them repaired, with theperpetrator. It is possible that an apology from the perpetrator would beenough to assuage the victim’s hurt feelings. Mediation appears to bethe best option in such case.3. Status of the offenderIn the case of erring government officials or employees, it is possibleto file administrative charges, in addition to criminal and civil charges,with their respective agencies, with the Office of the Ombudsman, orwith the Civil Service Commission.In particular, the Office of the Ombudsman entertains complaintsagainst high-ranking government officials, especially if the case involvesgraft and corruption.Moreover, if an offender is a professional, sanctions could be imposedby the corresponding professional association and/or by theProfessional Regulation Commission.4. Gravity of the offenseMost cases involving light offenses (those with penalties that do notexceed one-year imprisonment and P5,000.00 fine) must undergobarangay mediation first before they could be brought to court.The gravity of the offense is also to be considered when determiningwhat actions to take against erring government officials or employees.Serious offenses like gross misconduct can be a ground for the filingof administrative charges that could lead to dismissal from work.Figure 1 “Flowchart of various options for redress” shows some of theredress mechanisms available to persons whose rights were violated,followed by explanations regarding each mechanism. However, this doesnot include actions on violations in the workplace, which is depicted inFigure 2.22 SEEKING REDRESS FOR HIV-RELATED VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS