Men face two years in jail for wolf whistles and cat-calling

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

The Home Office announced last night 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 behaviour such as following someone, making an obscene or aggressive gesture, “cornering” someone, driving a car slowly by someone walking in the street and potentially wolf whistling and cat-calling.

The proposal had been opposed by Boris Johnson who argued that current public order laws and harassment laws properly enforced could be used to prosecute street sexual harassment.

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 Home Secretary Priti Patel.

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 38 per cent had experienced cat-calls, whistles, unwanted sexual comments and jokes. A quarter felt they had been followed.

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.”

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