Tough new laws are being put forward to male wolf whistling and street harassment punishable by up to two years in prison - and the excuse that it’s either a joke or a compliment will not hold water. The Telegraph reports Home Secretary Suella Braverman is likely to toughen a proposed new street harassment law so that potential offenders can't avoid prosecution by claiming they did not realise their behaviour amounted to harassment.
The House of Commons received the bill for its final report stage this week, making it an offence to cause "intentional harassment, alarm or distress" to a person in public based on their sex and any offenders found guilty could face up to a maximum jail sentence of two years. Campaigners claimed there was a loophole in the proposals that would let offenders escape prosecution by claiming they thought their behaviour was welcome, even if any other reasonable person felt it was not, reports Lancashire Live.
The Home Secretary is backing an amendment that will close the loophole after accepting their concerns by requiring a “reasonableness test” where a defendant “ought to know” their behaviour amounted to harassment. This means anyone who catcalls, wolf-whistles or makes a pass or sexual comment towards a woman that a “reasonable” person would feel amounts to harassment will no longer be able to claim it was meant as a compliment or joke. Police will be issued with guidance so they can enforce the law.
