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The Philippine presidential election for 2016 has been a hotspot for quotable quotes from the candidates. However, one nominee took center stage following his recent comments on rape. Rodrigo Duterte, who was a former mayor and the current frontrunner in the presidential elections this year, received backlash after he shared his desire to also take part in the rape of Australian minister Jacqueline Hamill.

"They raped all of the women," shared Duterte of the 1989 incident where prison inmates raped the ministers who went to Davao City for a mission, reported BBC. The Philippine presidential candidate added, "There was this Australian lay minister...when they took them out ... I saw her face and I thought, 'Son of a b****. What a pity! They raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought the mayor should have been first."

The comments of Duterte, particularly those that made fun of the gruesome incident, sparked outrage across the globe. A fellow candidate, Jejomar Binay, called the former mayor a "crazy maniac who doesn't respect women" while a women's group, called GABRIELA, demanded an apology from Duterte. They said, "Rape or any form of sexual abuse is not a joke, nor something to be trivialised in a joke, especially by those aspiring for the highest post in the land."

However, Duterte said his comments were not made to offend but were simply an expression of his emotions at the time. He said via Sydney Morning Herald, "I said it in the heat of anger. I'm sorry in general. I'm sorry to the Filipino people, it's my style, it's my mouth, I said it in anger - listen to the story behind it." He added, "It was not a joke. I said it in a narrative. I wasn't smiling."

Amid the uproar following Duterte's comments, the rape culture across the globe was pushed under the spotlight. Given the sheer number of rape victims today, it becomes important for the public to understand the need to be mindful of the feelings of these survivors. Here are some tips on what not to say to victims of rape and sexual assault.

1. Do NOT tell them ways they could have prevented it. Rape and sexual assault victims are already dealing with incredible loathing not only for their attackers but also for themselves. Blaming the victims would only deepen the pain and intensify their struggle. Nobody sets out to be raped. This is an unavoidable circumstance.

2. Do NOT minimize their pain. Telling rape and sexual assault victims that the traumatic experience was "just sex" is one of the most painful things one can do. Being aggressively forced to submit to another's desire and evil plans is an extremely humiliating experience. No one has the right to belittle a rape or sexual assault victim's suffering.

3. Do NOT accuse them of lying. Many rape and sexual assault victims are dubbed as attention seekers. Instead of offering sympathy and support, some people even question the intentions of the victims by saying that they only need to be under the spotlight. There are many ways to catch the public's attention. No rape or sexual assault victim would put their bodies, dignity and sanity on the line for fame.

Statistics from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network reveal that 98 percent of rapists do not spend a day in jail. For every 107 seconds in a day, there is at least one rape victim in the United States alone. Despite the number of rape victims, 68 percent of the abuse are not reported to the authorities.