The Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 (c. 47) is an act of the United Kingdom House of Commons tabled as a private member's bill by Conservative MP Greg Clark. As of November 2024[update] the act is not yet in force. The legislation proposes to make acts of street harassment a criminal offence in England and Wales.
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision about causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress to a person in public where the behaviour is done because of that person’s sex; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2023 c. 47 |
| Introduced by | Greg Clark (Commons) David Wolfson (Lords) |
| Territorial extent |
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| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 18 September 2023 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | |
Status: Not yet in force | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Text of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
Overview
editThe legislation proposes to make street incidents of harassment, such as catcalling, following someone, or intentionally blocking their path, a criminal offence in England and Wales, with a punishment of up to two years in prison. The legislation is aimed at protecting women and girls in the wake of high-profile incidents such as the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, but will apply equally to women and men experiencing street harassment.[1][2]
History
editThe Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill was first brought to Parliament by Greg Clark as a private member's bill on 15 June 2022, and received the support of the UK Government. It received its second reading on 9 December 2022, and passed through the Committee stage on 28 February 2023.[3] On 24 March 2023, MPs voted to back the bill, and it was then sent to the House of Lords for further consideration.[4][5]
Reaction
editThe effort to tackle sex-based street harassment has been welcomed by women's campaign groups. Speaking in December 2022, Andrea Simon, the director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, praised moves to address the issue, but added there were "concerns that a justice system that is already so badly broken won't be able to implement any new law".[6]
Although the bill passed the vote unopposed, Christopher Chope, the Conservative MP for Christchurch, warned of a potential impact on the mental health of young men:
"There is a lack of recognition that, as with all crimes, the proportion of perpetrators is vanishingly small, the awful behaviour of few is leading to the mistreatment of all. The consequences of all this, and let's be extremely careful with language that we use, is that the situation which is already bad in relation to the mental health issues of boys and young men is going to get even worse".[7][8]
References
edit- ^ "MPs approve plans to make street sexual harassment a crime". BBC News. BBC. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ Waters, Lowenna; Naz Hassan, Beril (24 March 2023). "Street harassment laws explained: MPs approve plans to make it a crime". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ "Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill 2022–23". House of Commons Library. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ Francis, Sam (9 December 2022). "Street harassment to be banned in crackdown, government says". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ Francis, Sam (24 March 2023). "MPs approve plans to make street sexual harassment a crime". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ "UK government backs plan to criminalise sexual harassment in street". The Guardian. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ Hatton, Ben (24 March 2023). "Concerns about harassment have 'morphed into institutional misandry', MP says". The Independent. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ "Concerns about harassment have 'morphed into institutional misandry', MP says". Halesowen News. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.