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Government-backed legislation in Parliament today would make public sexual harassment a specific offence [Friday 9 December]
A wide range of experts were consulted over the summer to establish a specific crime. Most people consider public sexual harassment to be a widespread problem.
The consultation highlighted the need for specific offenses to make the laws surrounding public harassment clearer to both the public and the police. Although sexual harassment is already illegal in public, introducing a specific crime would encourage women to report it to the police, as well as emphasize the seriousness of the crime.
After careful consideration, the Government is backing legislation brought forward by Greg Clarke MP which would increase the harsher sentence to six months if a person knowingly harasses, alarms or causes pain in a public place because of the sex of the victim. . for two years.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:
Every woman should feel safe to walk our streets without fear of harassment or violence. And that is why we are supporting this bill to specifically criminalize public sexual harassment.
It is a complex issue and we have carefully considered the arguments, taking into account various views.
We put the needs of victims at the heart of our decisions, which will mean that criminals who commit these acts face the consequences they deserve.
Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle of British Transport Police said:
No woman should be subjected to harassment or intimidation while traveling and we will always welcome any additional help to bring more perpetrators to justice.
We have always taken reports of sexual harassment extremely seriously, however I hope the proposed legislation will reinforce our clear message to perpetrators that it will not be tolerated.
We know that not all forms of sexual harassment are reported to the police and I hope that this increased awareness will encourage more victims to come forward and tell us what has happened to them.
The Government’s response to the consultation is published here, confirming a commitment to follow the new legislation which is based on the intentional ‘harass, alarm, distress’ definition of harassment first established in law in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
The new law upholds the government’s commitment to combating violence against women and girls, and follows previous action to help combat these crimes in public spaces, including public sexual harassment.
The government action also includes new guidance for police and prosecutors on sexual harassment; £125 million investment by the Safer Streets and Safety of Women at Night funds; the StreetSafe tool that allows women to report areas they feel unsafe directly to the police; and the ground-breaking ‘Enough’ communication campaign, which helps people safely play their part in stopping abuse.
Notes to editors
- The change will provide that if an offense is committed under the current Section 4A Public Order Act 1986 (intentionally causing annoyance, alarm or distress) and is committed because of the sex of the victim, they can be sentenced to a maximum of two years, up from the maximum previously. It was six months.
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