‘Endemic’ violence against women

VIOLENCE against women and girls is “endemic” in Britain and the legal system needs a major overhaul in order to protect them, experts said on Tuesday.

A report by the Fawcett Society, a leading women’s rights charity, called for misogyny to be made a hate crime and urged tougher laws around sexual harassment, domestic violence, equal pay and employment rights.

It also called for “up-skirting”, taking photos surreptitiously up women’s skirts, to be made an offence.

The charity commissioned a review of sex discrimination laws amid concerns that protections enshrined in European Union law could be eroded or weakened when Britain leaves the bloc.