Violence against women and their children, as defined under Section 3(a) of Republic Act No. 9262, refers to any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse, including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. This comprehensive definition includes, but is not limited to, physical violence (bodily or physical harm), sexual violence (sexual acts committed against a woman or child, such as rape, sexual harassment, or treating them as sex objects), psychological violence (acts causing mental or emotional suffering like intimidation, stalking, public ridicule, repeated verbal abuse, or marital infidelity), and economic abuse (acts making a woman financially dependent, such as withdrawal of financial support or controlling her money or properties). The law aims to protect women and children from violence, recognizing the unequal power relationship between women and men and the widespread gender bias, as upheld in Garcia v. Drilon.