Campaign reply - Make public sexual harassment a crime

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the sexual harassment of women and girls in public.

I agree that sexual harassment of women and girls, including in public places, is totally unacceptable. No one should be forced to change the way they live to avoid harassment and abuse. 

I am glad that action is already being taken in this vitally important area. The Law Commission has recently concluded a wide-ranging review into hate crime. In its final report, the Commission made a number of recommendations to provide greater protection on the basis of sex and gender, including extending the offence of stirring up hatred to cover stirring up hatred on the grounds of sex or gender. It is suggested this would help to tackle the growing threat of extremist misogynist “incel” ideology, and its potential to lead to serious criminal offending. The Government will now carefully review and consider the recommendations of the report before issuing a full response and any future action.

I am, however, encouraged that the Ministers have already taken action to implement some of the Law Commission's findings. As you may know, the Law Commission recommended that the Government launch a review into the need for a specific offence to tackle public sexual harassment, arguing that it would likely be more effective than adding sex or gender to the protected characteristics for aggravated offences and enhanced sentencing. 

 

Fulfilling this recommendation, a consultation on the creation of an offence of public sexual harassment has now opened. It asks where or not a specific criminal offence of public sexual harassment should be created, if such an offence were to be created what it should look like, and whether the Government should take additional non-legislative actions to tackle public sexual harassment (either instead of or in addition to a new criminal offence). The consultation is a targeted rather than a public one and has been sent to recipients in a variety of fields including victim-based charities, policing, and local government. It will close on 1 September 2022 so I would urge you to contact relevant organisations to make your feelings known.

Further information can be found at this address: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-an-offence-of-public-sexual-harassment

I also welcome the publication of the tackling violence against women and girls strategy to ensure women and girls are safe everywhere - at home, online and on the streets. The strategy increases support for victims and survivors, will increase the number of perpetrators brought to justice and reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls in the long-term. In addition, the Voyeurism (Offences) Act criminalises the reprehensible behaviour of up-skirting. There can now be no doubt that this activity is criminal and will not be tolerated. For the most serious offences, this law will ensure that the offender is also placed on the sex offenders' register.

I have also recently welcomed Government plans to provide £50 million of new funding to communities across England and Wales to make the streets safer for all.

 

The money forms part of the Safer Streets Fund, now totalling £120 million, which has already provided Falmouth with £60,000 to help tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

 

The money will go to police forces, local authorities, British Transport Police and eligible community groups across England and Wales to prevent violence against women and girls in public, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour.

 

These projects will be able to roll out extra CCTV and streetlighting in their communities and expand work to change attitudes and behaviours and prevent these crimes happening in the first place.

 

You will also be pleased to learn that relationships education is now compulsory for all primary pupils and relationships and sex education compulsory for all secondary school pupils. This ensures that concepts such as healthy relationships, consent and boundaries are taught to children.

There is more to do, and I will be paying close attention to the important work which is underway.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.