Street harassment to be made a crime

[bitchstewie]

I know there have been discussions about wolf whistling and TFL ran a poster campaign about intrusive staring and it looks like the Government are intending to introduce legislation to make these a potential crime.

Street harassment: Wolf whistling to be banned in crackdown

Can't say I agree with Braverman on much but this doesn't seem a bad thing though again I'm surprised existing legislation can't deal with it.

[bitchstewie]

You're quite right about that I'm genuinely unsure on the need for specific legislation to deal with it though.

Presume right now existing harassment laws don't lay out every single specific thing that could constitute harassment do they?

[bitchstewie]

Dingu said:

Specific legislation seems pretty widely supported by people with the knowledge to make an assessment in fairness.

I've absolutely no problem with it there's just been an advert on the TV for a documentary on the kind of abuse/harassment women face and you only have to read the accounts from women to know it's rampant and unacceptable.

I genuinely don't understand how the law is laid out so that (for example) you couldn't be prosecuted for following someone right now under existing legislation.

To use a really crude analogy I guess I mean in the same way that I presume murder legislation doesn't lay out all the ways you could murder someone.

[bitchstewie]

Vanden Saab said:

Looking at the amount of time the police spend dealing with non-crime incidents I think we all know the answer to this. Had your house burgled, sorry no one available they are busy dealing with somebody who is staring. While I understand the idea behind it surely it is a cultural change that is required not a criminal one.

You could just as easily say there's a cultural change required so burglars don't burgle.

If you're a girl on an empty train late at night and some weirdo moves to sit directly opposite you and then stares at you the whole journey before getting off at the same station and starts to follow you I'd pretty much assure you you'd take it very seriously.

There are plenty of accounts of that type of thing happening and whilst I've every sympathy for the burglary victim who can't get the Police out when they want them I'm not sure the answer is to downplay harassment as "somebody who is staring".

[bitchstewie]

272BHP said:

I am thinking hard but cannot remember the last I heard someone wolf-whistle or make uncomfortable comments about a women in the street.

It was quite common 20-30 years for sure.

Similar but there are womens experiences documented all over social media whenever there's a campaign to raise awareness and stop this kind of rubbish from happening.

The original article mentions a Government campaign that's on Twitter and other social media now and it gives some very real examples.

Or just read the anecdotes from women about the crap that happens almost every single day.

[bitchstewie]

MPs approve plans to make street sexual harassment a crime

[bitchstewie]

Terminator X said:

Obstructing someone's path? Good luck with that.

TX.

I thought the idea of legislation like this is more so that the Police have tools to deal with the "I wasn't harassing her Officer I was just walking directly in front of her minding my own business" creeps.