Oldham Council’s Liberal Democrats want to see street harassment of women and girls made a crime, as it is in Portugal, Belgium and France.

Saddleworth and Lees Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani is taking a motion on this issue to the next meeting of the full Council (Wednesday November 4).

Councillor Al-Hamdani said:  “Everyone should feel safe on our streets and in our communities, yet in national surveys two-thirds of women and girls report that they have been subjected to street harassment.  We all the right to self-respect, and to freedom of movement and freedom of expression, yet women and girls are intimidated by this unwanted personal sexual attention.  It is frightening and as a result some choose not to go out or do not feel able to be themselves.

“I want the Council to back the campaign of the group, Our Streets Now, which wants to end street harassment by criminalising this unacceptable behaviour and prosecuting offenders.  These would represent powerful steps towards tackling gender inequality and keeping women and girls safe.”

As well as outlawing harassment at a national level, Liberal Democrat Councillors also want to see some local action.  Shaw Councillor Hazel Gloster, who is backing the proposal, explained:  “Only 14 % of pupils have been taught about harassment at school and less than half of all pupils would report an incident of sexual harassment to a teacher.  We need all pupils to know more about what constitutes harassment and we need to ensure that all female pupils would feel confident, comfortable, and believed when they report it. 

“We want to see all of our borough’s schools introduce this subject within the curriculum and to take on board the advice and recommendations of Our Streets Now.  I am sure that this will also be an issue and concern for Oldham’s inspirational Youth Councillors”.

The next full meeting of Oldham Council can be seen online from 6pm on Wednesday November 4.

The wording of the motion follows.

Council November 4, 2020 – Notice of Opposition Business – Let’s make street harassment a crime

This Council is committed to making our Borough a safer place for everyone.

Council notes:

• Public sexual harassment is the most common form of violence against women and girls, restricting their freedom of movement and expression;
• That in surveys two-thirds of women and girls report they have faced street harassment in the UK;
• That street harassment in the UK is not covered by any specific offence, unlike in Portugal, Belgium and France;
• That stopping street harassment would be a powerful step in tackling inequality and keeping women safe;
• The incredible work of Our Streets Now, and their petition which has attracted over 200,000 signatures to make street harassment a specific crime;
• That according to a report by Our Streets Now, only 14 per cent of pupils have been taught about public sexual harassment at school, and that 47 per cent of them would not report an incident of public sexual harassment to their school because they were afraid or feared they would not be taken seriously by staff.

Council recognises

• That we must create an environment where street harassment is seen and policed as a crime, and where girls feel safer on our streets;
• That we need to work together with our schools to ensure that anyone who is harassed will feel confident that their report will be treated with the respect, care and seriousness that is required;
• That changing the law, and education for our young people, are key planks in combating street harassment, establishing safer streets, and delivering equality.

Council resolves to:

• Promote the Our Streets Now campaign to make street harassment a crime, and encourage all elected members, and residents to sign the petition;
• Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Home Secretary to ask her to make street harassment a specific crime;
• Ask the Chief Executive to write to the three MPs who cover the Borough, and the Mayor of Greater Manchester / Police and Crime Commissioner, to ask them to show their support for this campaign by signing the petition and by lobbying ministers to make street harassment a specific crime;
• Ask schools, academies and colleges in the Borough to each develop a clear policy on tackling harassment, separate to their bullying policy;
• Ask local schools to include education around public sexual harassment as part of their PSHE education;
• Ensure that the recommendations of the Our Schools Now report are communicated to schools with a view to integrating their recommendations into their PSHE teaching

Proposed by Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani

Seconded by Councillor Hazel Gloster