Let's go by what the bill and the law it intends to amend says (obvious disclaimer that this is not legal advice).
The bill intends to add a new section based on Section 4A called section 4B which makes it an offence to do or say anything that causes harassment, alarm or distress based on the relevant person's sex. Which carries a maximum two year sentence.
And Section 4A states if someone intends to cause harassment, alarm or distress based on threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or an individual who displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting. An offence carries a maximum of a six month sentence (but only if someone is found not gulity of an offence under 4B).
The problem is with the wording of what could cause someone to fall foul of the law, it is vaguely worded and could easily be interpreted to capture a wide range of behaviours, speech and language. There is also the prospect of the law being applied unequally based on pre-suppositions, bias and ideology regarding men and women.
This is why I get annoyed with the press who merely mention cat-calling and wolf-whistling as if they are the only things being targeted.
And we haven't even got to the prospect of a new Scottish Misogyny Bill being proposed after the SNP leadership contest which is likely to be repeated across the rest of the UK. There is the prospect of criminalising involuntary celibacy as a proposal for that bill.
Let's go by what the bill and the law it intends to amend says (obvious disclaimer that this is not legal advice).
The bill intends to add a new section based on Section 4A called section 4B which makes it an offence to do or say anything that causes harassment, alarm or distress based on the relevant person's sex. Which carries a maximum two year sentence.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-03/0252/220252.pdf
And Section 4A states if someone intends to cause harassment, alarm or distress based on threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or an individual who displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting. An offence carries a maximum of a six month sentence (but only if someone is found not gulity of an offence under 4B).
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/64/section/4A
The problem is with the wording of what could cause someone to fall foul of the law, it is vaguely worded and could easily be interpreted to capture a wide range of behaviours, speech and language. There is also the prospect of the law being applied unequally based on pre-suppositions, bias and ideology regarding men and women.
This is why I get annoyed with the press who merely mention cat-calling and wolf-whistling as if they are the only things being targeted.
And we haven't even got to the prospect of a new Scottish Misogyny Bill being proposed after the SNP leadership contest which is likely to be repeated across the rest of the UK. There is the prospect of criminalising involuntary celibacy as a proposal for that bill.