Street harassment will bring two years in prison under new offence backed by Government

Men who sexually harass women on the street or on public transport will face two years in jail under a new offence to be backed by the Government.M

The Home Office announced on Thursday night that it will support proposals to amend the 1986 Public Order Act to create a new offence of “public sexual harassment” following a public consultation. 

It would outlaw behaviours such as following someone, making an obscene or aggressive comment or gesture, “cornering” someone, driving a car slowly by someone walking in the street and wolf whistling and catcalling.

The proposal had been opposed by Boris Johnson who argued that existing public order and harassment laws, if properly enforced by police, could be used to prosecute street sexual harassment such as wolf-whistling, catcalling and other abuse.

However the new offence was supported by Liz Truss during the Tory leadership race, Nimco Ali, the feminist campaigner and a former Home Office adviser on tackling violence against women, and Priti Patel, during her time as home secretary.

The consultation was launched after “shocking” findings by the Office for National Statistics that half of women aged 16 to 34 had been harassed in the previous 12 months and nearly four in 10 (38 per cent) had experienced catcalls, whistles, unwanted sexual comments and jokes. A quarter felt they had been followed. 

‘Deterrent effect’

A government spokesman said: “We have closely considered the responses received, and consider that an offence of public sexual harassment should be introduced.

“We note the significant majority of respondents in favour of an offence, and the strong support given to some of the possible reasons in favour of one, such as the deterrent effect of a new law and its ability to raise awareness, and its ability to provide clarity to the law and encourage reporting. 

“We also note the other arguments put forward, such as its ability to help drive cultural change.”

The Government is expected to back a Private Member’s Bill introducing the change.

Yvette Cooper MP, the shadow home secretary, said Labour would support the move.

“Labour has consistently pushed the Government to introduce this new offence to protect women and girls, so we welcome the announcement.

“Any action to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and girls is welcome, but the Government must now go further and faster.

“Labour has a plan to put rape and domestic abuse specialists in every police force in the country, introduce fast-track rape courts and a domestic abuse register, and overhaul police training so that every victim gets the best possible support.”