Thank you for contacting me about the sexual harassment of women and girls in public.
I completely agree that sexual harassment of women and girls, in whatever situation, is totally unacceptable. No one should be forced to change the way they live to avoid harassment and abuse.
Action is already being taken. You may be aware of the wide-ranging Law Commission review into hate crime. Work on this is well underway and the review will identify any gaps within the current legislation and determine if there should be additional protected characteristics such as misogyny and age. The Law Commission’s consultation closed on the 24th December 2020 and I hope those with an interest, including perhaps yourself, had the opportunity to share their views. The Government will of course consider the review’s recommendations when they are complete.
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