A woman has shared the moment she was told she looked “rapeable” by a group of men, as campaigners warn that 1.5 million young women have experienced harassment while the government delays enforcing a new law. Charli Keely, then 18, was on her way to a lecture when the incident occurred, and recalled running home to change her clothes because the men made her feel so unsafe.
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Thursday marked two years since the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act became law, yet activists who campaigned for the legislation say it remains unenforced due to delayed government guidance. Analysis shows that almost 1.5 million young women aged 16 to 24 have faced harassment since the act was passed, with half reporting that public sexual harassment has worsened, rising to 57 per cent among 18 to 21-year-olds. Charities including Plan International UK and grassroots group Our Streets Now are calling for immediate statutory guidance and preventative education to tackle the attitudes behind harassment, warning that until this happens, women and girls across the UK are being failed.
Ms Keely, now head of policy and campaigns at Our Streets Now, said: “The Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act is just one step towards ending public sexual harassment. The law alone is not enough – it must be supported by preventative work through education and policy to ensure everyone feels safe in public spaces.” The latest Crime Survey for England and Wales found that one in four young women aged 16 to 24 reported sexual harassment in the year to March 2023, with almost all girls taking precautions such as avoiding eye contact, sticking to well-lit routes, or using location tracking to feel safer. Harassment disproportionately affects marginalised groups, including disabled women and LGBTQ+ people.
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Kathleen Spencer Chapman, director of influencing and external affairs at Plan International UK, said: “Girls and young women have been calling for action on public sexual harassment for years. Publishing guidance would signal that the government recognises the impact of harassment on the wellbeing and safety of women and girls. This includes implementing the act, ensuring police and courts can address harassment effectively, and tackling misogyny early in schools. Until this happens, women and girls across the UK are being failed.” A Home Office spokesperson added: “Violence against women and girls is a national emergency, and we are determined to halve these crimes within a decade. Public sexual harassment is abhorrent and can leave women feeling unsafe in their own neighbourhoods. We will commence the legislation in due course and work with the police to ensure it is enforced robustly.”
