More sexual harassment than ever

[thatdamnwoman]

I've been driving around this morning and have heard several news reports about the government's Women and Equalities committee's concerns about the growth in sexual harassment of women and girls. I've also heard several items about making it an offence to watch porn on public transport and how this is a growing problem and may be related to harassment.

How on earth can the government on one hand deplore the growth in harassment of women and girls and yet at the same time contemplate making it much, much easier for every voyeuristic perv to walk unchallenged into women's private space so that they can do whatever it is they want to to do? Deploring sexual harassment and supporting sex selfID can't possibly be compatible viewpoints, surely?

I know, the mind boggles

Yes, I saw this on the BBC text news this morning. Utterly depressing. The use of the word "relentless" to describe the harassment on the street just sums things up.

Along with a story about a woman who had been subjected to a police body search, after giving an advice leaflet to a young man who'd been stopped under the stop and search procedure. She had multiple injuries and PTSD, but no charges have been brought and case closed.

There was also a report on a former exec of Newsnight. He was commenting about the programme generally, including his thoughts that the programme had been and continued to be too concerned with the gender of it's presenters.

So, three stories on just one page of news this morning. But like you say, men in women's single sex spaces, what could go wrong ? Putting aside (as is the case) the matters of dignity and privacy.

Agree- they aren't compatible.

These announcements are actually pissing me off -it's just appeasement. Making it look like they care and are doing something about it.
If they were serious about tackling sexual harassment they would be working on changing the law to actually protect women and children, not trying to sneak through laws to undermine the little protection we have.

They would start by making porn much harder to access, including making it illegal for children to have unfettered Internet access. (No one under 18 allowed to have a smart phone for a start! )

They would have stricter rules around sex stereotyping (avoiding the bloody G word) and the objectification of women in advertising and the media.

They would adopt the Nordic model.

They would increase the penalties for sexual assault and harassment.

They would include respect for everyone INCLUDING WOMEN in PSHE lessons and include teaching about the harmful effects of porn.

They would LISTEN to women and stop ignoring our right to have sexual boundaries.

Rant over (for the moment, anyway! )

As mentioned on another thread, the fact that Maria Miller - she who started the whole trans gender fruit loopiness - is the one who was quoted deploring harassment makes you wonder if the entire world has gone mad.

Maria Miller "harassment must be stopped". Yet was pushing the very proposal likely to increase harassment.

Head, desk, bang. Insanity rules.

No one under 18 allowed to have a smart phone for a start

Really?

I've also heard several items about making it an offence to watch porn on public transport and how this is a growing problem and may be related to harassment.

I used to be startled by how many men do this on trains (seriously, you can't even travel into work at 06:20 without needing this?). Now, I pretty much see it as a variation on manspreading in seats.

For me - it's the normalisation of porn that is also creating a conducive context for violence/harassment against women and girls.

Now, I pretty much see it as a variation on manspreading in seats.

This could be a component of it: ensuring no one in their right mind wants to sit next to them. It's probably even more effective than when they put their bag on the seat next to them while manspreading too.

God, that's horrible, men watching porn in public wtf??

I'm old enough to remember the early days of women challenging men who put up topless pics in the workplace. It's sexually aggressive piggery and we will never stop having to fight it.

I just heard Stella Creasy on the way home from work and wondered how she could make the arguments she was making on this subject whilst simultaneously backing self ID. Genuinely bonkers.