PERVERTS who harass women on the street could be locked up for TWO YEARS under tough new legislation coming next year.
Suella Braverman this morning confirmed that wolf whistling and other forms of public sexual harassment will be a punishable crime from 2023.
Suella Braverman has agreed to make street harassment a crime with a maximum sentence of two years
The new law forms part of a wider Home Office crackdown on violence against women and girls.
Anyone who deliberately harasses, alarms, or distresses a person in a public space because of their sex faces a maximum sentence of two years behind bars.
Harassment can include wolf whistling and cat calling on one end, but also more serious actions such as stalking and persistent sexist verbal abuse.
The decision to make street harassment a crime follows a government public consultation, which showed overwhelming support for the move.
Ms Braverman said: “Every woman should feel safe to walk our streets without fear of harassment or violence. And that is why we are supporting this bill to introduce a specific offence on public sexual harassment.
“It’s a complex issue and we’ve carefully considered the arguments, taking into account a range of views.
“We are putting the needs of victims at the heart of our decision, which will mean the criminals who commit these acts face the consequences they deserve.”
In May this year the Office for National Statistics revealed that a staggering one in two women and one in six men felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a quiet street near their home.
Half of all women aged between 16 and 34 experienced harassment in the last year, with 38 per cent of them having to deal with catcalls, wolf whistles or unwanted sexual comments.
Sarah Everard, 33, was murdered by evil police officer Wayne Couzens as she walked home through south London in March last year.
And just Six months later, primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, 28, was murdered in south London by predatory Dominions delivery driver, Koci Selamaj.
British Transport Police Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle, said: “No woman should be subjected to harassment or intimidation as they travel and we will always welcome any extra help in bringing more offenders to justice.
“We have always taken reports of sexual harassment extremely seriously, however I hope the proposed legislation will reinforce our clear message to perpetrators that it simply won’t be tolerated.
“We know that all forms of sexual harassment are under-reported to police and I hope this increased awareness will encourage more victims to come forward and tell us about what’s happened to them.”
