Street harassment including wolf-whistling will become a crime, after the Government decided to support backbench legislation tabled by former cities minister Greg Clark.
Despite public sexual harassment already being illegal, the introduction of a specific offence will encourage women to report to the police, as well as emphasising the severity of the crime,The Government says
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 introduce a specific offence on public sexual harassment.
It’s a complex issue and we’ve carefully considered the arguments, taking into account a range of views.
We are putting the needs of victims at the heart of our decision, which will mean the criminals who commit these acts face the consequences they deserve.
British Transport Police Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle, said:
No woman should be subjected to harassment or intimidation as they travel and we will always welcome any extra help in bringing more offenders 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 simply won’t be tolerated.
We know that all forms of sexual harassment are under-reported to police and I hope this increased awareness will encourage more victims to come forward and tell us about what’s happened to them.
