GHOSTING or social rejection by cutting off all forms of communication, usually in a romantic relationship with opposite sex, which could be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting to the victim can be declared an emotional offense.

“Studies have shown that social rejection of any kind activates the same pain pathways in the brain as physical pain, meaning there’s a biological link between rejection and pain. That goes for friends and partners, alike,” Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. said in filing his House Bill (HB) No. 611, or “An Act Declaring Ghosting as an Emotional Offense.”

Under the measure, ghosting for no apparent justifiable reason but solely to cause emotional distress to the victim will be considered as an offense.

“Studies have shown that social rejection of any kind activates the same pain pathways in the brain as physical pain, meaning there’s a biological link between rejection and pain. That goes for friends and partners, alike,” according to Teves.

“A form of emotional abuse and happens once a person is engaged in a dating relationship with the opposite sex which affects the mental state of the victim,” the measure said.

“The ambiguity with ghosting, is that there is no real closure between the parties concerned and as such, it can be likened to a form of emotional cruelty and should be punished as an emotional offense because of the trauma it causes to the “ghosted” party,” it added.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco