#CrimeNotCompliment to the Protection from Sex-based Harassment Act 2023
How did it start?
On 19 April 2019, we created a petition in support of our mission to make public sexual harassment (PSH) a criminal offence. Within 100 days, that petition had over 100,000 signatures. The message was clear – our community had had enough of street harassment.
On 22 November 2020, we launched the #CrimeNotCompliment campaign in partnership with Plan International UK, an international children’s and girls’ rights charity. We worked together to shed light on the impact that widespread PSH was having on women, girls and marginalised genders, and the gaps in the law that meant many of these behaviours were not illegal. We campaigned to make PSH a crime.
Between 10 December 2020 – 19 February 2021 and 12 March 2021 – 26 March 2021, the Home Office had a Call for Evidence on violence against women and girls, which we encouraged supporters to complete, and on 4 February 2021 we had round table discussion with the Home Office and Plan International UK, taking our message about PSH right to the heart of Government. In April 2021, we partnered with Clear Channel who gave us space to promote awareness of our campaign on their billboards.
Our role in shaping the legislation
Over the next three years, and with the invaluable help from our supporters, we campaigned to make PSH a crime. Every petition signed, every MP emailed and every survey completed made a difference.
In June 2022 Greg Clark, former MP for Tunbridge Wells, introduced our Private Member’s Bill criminalising PSH to the House of Commons, and in July 2022, the Home Office published a consultation into whether and how to create a specific offence of public sexual harassment. We submitted a joint response with Plan International UK in August 2022.
As the Bill progressed through the legislative process, we campaigned to make it as impactful as possible. In February and June 2023, we published joint briefings with Plan International UK in support of amendments which we believed would strengthen the Bill. We were honoured to have the support of White Ribbon UK, Right to Equality, the Fawcett Society, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, René Cassin, the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Girlguiding, Barnado’s, Irise International and London TravelWatch for our February 2023 briefing.
What we achieved
The Protection from Sex-based Harassment Act 2023 was passed on 18 September 2023 after its Third Reading in the House of Lords. Its main provisions will come into force once the Home Secretary issues guidance about how it will be implemented in practice. Find out more about the laws governing PSH here.
What’s next?
We will be working hard to make sure that the Protection from Sex-based Harassment Act 2023 comes into force and protects women, girls and marginalised genders in practice. More importantly, we know that legal change alone will not end this problem. We are continuing to work with councils, schools, universities and sports professionals to raise awareness about PSH and educate on the causes, impacts and solutions.
