On 1 April 2026 the UK government enacted the Protection from Sex‑Based Harassment in Public Act, creating a new offence for intentional harassment directed at a person because of their sex in public places. The law allows police to act quickly and imposes a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment for offenders. It covers behaviour such as obscene comments, threats of sexual violence, and unwanted physical contact on streets, parks, public transport, taxis, shops and other everyday spaces. The legislation originated as a Private Members’ Bill introduced by Greg Clark and Lord Wolfson of Tredegar. The government will coordinate with police, frontline organisations and advocacy groups to enforce the new rules consistently across England and Wales.
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