Public Sexual Harassment is now a standalone crime

Public sexual harassment is an everyday reality for women, girls and those of marginalised genders – it restricts their freedom and impacts their mental health. We've heard time and time again that girls want it to stop but they are left unprotected and not knowing how to report their experiences. 

That’s why in November 2020, Our Streets Now launched the #CrimeNotCompliment campaign in partnership with Plan International UK. Together, with thousands of girls across the UK, we set out to change the law in order to protect girls from all forms of public sexual harassment. 

In 2023, the campaign was a success and the law was passed in England and Wales that explicitly names public sexual harassment as a crime.

The Protection From Sex-Based Harassment in Public Bill (2023)

This new law has a huge symbolic effect and is essential for bringing about long-term cultural change, in which society no longer sees these behaviours as acceptable. For the first time acts such as leering and persistently staring, following someone, and shouting sexually explicit comments are specifically against the law. It now also prevents perpetrators from claiming their actions were intended as a joke or compliment, or that they simply didn’t mean to cause harassment.

We will be watching how effective this new law is in preventing public sexual harassment and in providing justice for those affected – including by continuing to speak to survivors about their experiences. We will be here to hold the Government to account if it fails on its promise to tackle violence against women and girls.

Throughout this process, those in positions of power must recognise girls' voices and value girls as key drivers of change. It’s critical that girls’ voices are heard. Critical as a right, critical to shaping the policies and decisions that will affect them, and critical to achieving gender equality and a better world for everyone.