Closed petition Make sexual harassment a specific criminal offence
On the 10th March, the Guardian posted the results of a YouGov poll of British women and girls showing that almost all young women in the UK have been sexually harassed.
Only by enacting legal change can we end this blight on women’s lives.
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Among women aged 18-24, 97% said they had been sexually harassed, while 80% of women of all ages said they had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces.
Many girls, and their parents, do not feel able to report harassment due to a lack of clarity in the law. There is no specific offence of sexual harassment in UK law, meaning perpetrators can all too often get away with it.
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MPs investigate violence against women and girls
The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee are looking at how violence against women and girls is being addressed, and are specifically exploring the investigation and prosecution of rape.
We're messaging you to let you know about this because you signed a petition about making sexual harassment a specific criminal offence.
Read about the Home Affairs Committee's overarching inquiry into violence against women and girls: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1159/violence-against-women-and-girls/
Find out more about their work into the investigation and prosecution of rape: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1160/investigation-and-prosecution-of-rape/
Last week the Committee held the first evidence session of its inquiry into violence against women, where it heard from experts who are working to inform government at the national and local level, and from domestic abuse charities.
Find out more about this session: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/83/home-affairs-committee/news/155731/committee-takes-evidence-from-domestic-abuse-commissioner-refuge-and-centre-for-womens-justice-on-vawg/
Read a transcript of the session: https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/2320/pdf/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on its work: @CommonsHomeAffs
What is the Home Affairs Committee?
The Home Affairs Committee is a cross-party group of MPs known as a 'select committee' which scrutinises the policy, administration and spending of the Home Office. The Committee is independent of the Government.
Find out more about the Committee:
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/83/home-affairs-committee/
Find out how select committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Government announces new strategy for tackling violence against women and girls
On Wednesday 21 July, MPs questioned Victoria Atkins, the Minister for Safeguarding, on the Government's newly published Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, following a ministerial statement.
In her statement, the Minister set out the actions the Government will be taking in response to the issue of violence against women and girls, including a national communications campaign focused on targeting harmful misogynistic attitudes, educating young people about healthy relationships, and ensuring that victims can access support. She also announced the launch of a £5 million 'safety of women at night' fund.
Watch the Government statement and MPs' questions:
https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/9a26f78c-9111-4757-8db8-29c04e4e8586?in=19:03:40&out=20:03:52
Read the transcript:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-07-21/debates/3A2710F1-842F-49F5-AB03-29AC3380A011/StrategyForTacklingViolenceAgainstWomenAndGirls
Read the Government press release on the launch of the Strategy:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls-strategy-launched
Other actions set out in the strategy include a review of options to limit use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of sexual harassment in higher education, the appointment of a new national policing lead on violence against women and girls as well as two new violence against women and girls Transport Champions, and plans to criminalise so-called 'virginity testing'.
The Minister's statement also thanked the over 180,000 respondents to the public call for evidence on this issue, which she said had helped shape the Government's approach. It also confirmed the Government plans to publish a dedicated domestic abuse strategy later this year.
What is a ministerial statement?
Ministerial statements are a way for Ministers to bring an important matter to the attention of MPs, often at short notice. You can find out more about them here:
https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/statements/
Ministers are the MPs and members of the House of Lords who are in the Government. They are appointed by the Prime Minister and each given a specific area of government policy to oversee, for example education, health and social care, or national defence.
Some senior Ministers are also referred to as Secretaries of State. Ministers speak on behalf of the Government during parliamentary debates and must answer questions put to them by other MPs or members of the House of Lords.
MPs debate Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill
MPs debated the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill on Friday 9 December in the main chamber of the House of Commons. This was a Second Reading debate, where MPs debated the general principles of the Bill.
Read the transcript of the debate
The Bill will address causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress to a person in public where the behaviour is done because of that person’s sex. Public sex-based harassment is generally understood to involve unwelcome and unwanted behaviour directed at a person in a public space, such as on the street, on public transport, in a gym, or at a hospitality venue, because of that person’s sex.
What happens next?
Having passed Second Reading, the Bill will now be sent to a Public Bill Committee, where MPs will scrutinise the Bill line by line.
Read more about the bill and keep up to date with its progress
What is a Second Reading?
Second Reading is the first opportunity for MPs to debate the main principles of a Bill.
At the end of the debate, the Commons decide whether the Bill should be given its Second Reading, meaning it can proceed to the next stage. If there isn't consensus that a Bill should proceed to its next stage, MPs will vote on this.
Find out more about how Second Readings work
What is a Private Member's Bill?
Private Members' Bills are Bills introduced by MPs who are not government ministers. They can be about any topic, but the main purpose can’t be to create a new tax or increase Government spending. Private Members' Bills must go through the same stages of consideration by Parliament before they can become law.
Find out more about Private Members' Bills
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Government decides an offence of public sexual harassment should be introduced
On 8 December, the Government published its response to a consultation on creating a specific offence of public sexual harassment. In its response to the consultation, the Government concludes that an offence of public sexual harassment should be introduced.
The Government noted strong support for a number of reasons for introducing a new offence:
- the deterrent effect of a new law
- the ability of a new offence to raise awareness, provide clarity to the law and encourage reporting
The Government's consultation
The Government's consultation, which ran from July to September last year, asked:
- whether a specific offence of public sexual harassment should be created
- if such an offence were to be created, what it should look like
- 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 was sent to recipients in organisations such as charities focused on crimes against women and girls, victim-focused charities, policing and local government.
The consultation sought respondent's views about the level of sexual harassment in this country and asked respondents to share their thoughts on what creation of a specific criminal offence relating to public sexual harassment may achieve.
MPs approve law to make sex-based harassment an offence
Last month MPs agreed to approve new legislation that would make sex-based harassment an offence.
This new offence is set out in the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill, which MPs debated on Friday 24 March in the main chamber of the House of Commons. This was a Third Reading debate, where MPs have a final chance to debate the contents of a Bill.
Find out more about the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill
The Bill would make it an offence to cause intentional harassment, alarm or distress to a person in public where the behaviour is done because of that person’s sex. Public sex-based harassment is generally understood to involve unwelcome and unwanted behaviour directed at a person in a public space, such as on the street, on public transport, in a gym, or at a hospitality venue, because of that person’s sex. This is a Private Member's Bill, which was introduced by Greg Clark MP.
What is Third Reading?
Third Reading is for MPs to debate the contents of a Bill as it stands after Report. Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a Bill at third reading in the Commons.
At the end of the debate, the Commons decide whether to approve the third reading of the Bill, meaning it can proceed to the next stage. If there isn't consensus that a Bill should proceed to its next stage, MPs will vote on this.
What happens next?
Having been agreed by the House of Commons, the Bill will now be considered by the House of Lords. Both the House of Commons and House of Lords need to approve the Bill before it becomes law.
What is a Private Member's Bill?
Private Members' Bills are Bills introduced by MPs who are not government ministers. They can be about any topic, but the main purpose can’t be to create a new tax or increase Government spending. Private Members' Bills must go through the same stages of consideration by Parliament before they can become law.
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MPs investigate the escalation of violence against women and girls
A group of MPs called the Women and Equalities Committee are looking into whether men who commit certain types of crime and non-criminal offences have a higher potential to commit serious acts of violence against women. They will also examine the availability and effectiveness of services and interventions to tackle such behaviours.
Read the Committee's press notice announcing this work for more information.
The Committee will consider:
- Evidence that men who exhibit certain non-criminal behaviours, including online, go on to commit criminal offences against women and girls
- Evidence that men who commit certain crimes (such as non-contact sexual offences) go on to commit serious violent offences against women and girls
- The effectiveness of the police service and criminal justice system at responding to these behaviours and offences, and how this can be improved
- The interventions in place for perpetrators with different offending histories and how effective they are
- Evidence that escalating behaviours is a particular problem within the emergency services and other public sector organisations
What happens next?
The Committee is going to conduct oral evidence sessions where it will hear from experts in the sector as well as representatives from the Government.
An evidence session is a hearing where MPs ask key experts, such as Ministers, academics and/or campaigners, questions on a particular topic. These experts are called "witnesses" and they help MPs to gain a deeper understanding of the topic.
The Committee will then consider all the evidence it has taken and publish a report of its findings with recommendations to the Government on any changes that might be needed.
For more information about the inquiry, visit the Committee's inquiry page.
What is the Women and Equalities Committee?
The Women and Equalities Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that conduct inquiries into issues relating to Women and the Equalities and examines the work of the Government Equalities Office (GEO).
- Find out more about the Committee on its website
- Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on its work
The Women and Equalities Committee is a select committee.
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Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.