Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Make sexual harassment a specific criminal offence
Closed
3,416 signatures
What the petition asks
On the 10th March, the Guardian posted the results of a YouGov poll of British women and girls showing that almost all young women in the UK have been sexually harassed.
Only by enacting legal change can we end this blight on women’s lives.
Only by enacting legal change can we end this blight on women’s lives.
Among women aged 18-24, 97% said they had been sexually harassed, while 80% of women of all ages said they had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces.
Many girls, and their parents, do not feel able to report harassment due to a lack of clarity in the law. There is no specific offence of sexual harassment in UK law, meaning perpetrators can all too often get away with it.
Many girls, and their parents, do not feel able to report harassment due to a lack of clarity in the law. There is no specific offence of sexual harassment in UK law, meaning perpetrators can all too often get away with it.
Timeline
| 22 Mar 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 22 Sep 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
3,416
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
22 Mar 2021
Closed
22 Sep 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.