A landmark new law aimed at tackling public sexual harassment has come into force across England and Wales, marking a significant step in the UK government’s efforts to better protect

women and girls in everyday spaces.

The legislation specifically targets individuals who harass others based on their sex, giving police stronger powers to intervene and prosecute offenders. It is designed to address behaviours that many women and girls have long been forced to tolerate—ranging from unwanted sexual comments and intimidation to threats and invasive actions in public places.

For years, such experiences have shaped how women navigate daily life. Many report altering their routes, avoiding certain areas, or changing routines altogether in an effort to feel safe. Beyond immediate distress, these encounters often leave lasting psychological impacts, including anxiety and a loss of confidence.

Officials say the new offence will help prevent escalation. Evidence has shown that public harassment can sometimes form part of a broader pattern of abusive behaviour, potentially leading to more serious crimes if left unchecked.

Under the new law, perpetrators could face penalties of up to two years in prison. The offence applies across a wide range of public settings, including streets, parks, public transport, shops, and taxis—essentially anywhere people go about their daily lives.

The legislation originated as a Private Members’ Bill and has gained strong backing from campaigners and advocacy groups who have long called for clearer legal protections against street harassment. Police forces will now follow updated statutory guidance to ensure consistent enforcement nationwide.

The move forms part of a broader government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, which has been declared a national priority. Alongside enforcement, the strategy emphasizes prevention—through education, early intervention, and addressing harmful attitudes, particularly among young people.

Measures already underway include the expansion of specialist police units dealing with sexual offences, as well as new educational initiatives in schools aimed at promoting respectful relationships and challenging misogyny.

Additional context: public sexual harassment in the UK

Public sexual harassment has been widely reported across the UK, with surveys consistently showing that a large proportion of women—particularly younger women—have experienced some form of harassment in public spaces. This can include catcalling, stalking, unwanted touching, or threatening behavior.

Campaign groups such as Plan UK and Our Streets Now have highlighted how normalized these experiences have become, often going unreported due to a lack of confidence in enforcement or uncertainty about legal protections. Prior to this law, many forms of street harassment were difficult to prosecute unless they met thresholds under other offences like public order or assault laws.

The introduction of a specific sex-based harassment offence is seen as a turning point, making it clearer that such behavior is not only unacceptable but criminal. Advocates hope it will encourage more victims to come forward and help shift public attitudes toward zero tolerance.

However, experts note that legislation alone is not enough. Effective enforcement, public awareness, and cultural change will all play a critical role in determining whether the law delivers meaningful improvements in safety.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said: “The sad reality is that many women and girls have been cornered, leered at or shouted at in public, or have faced intimidating threats of violence.

Too often they’ve been made to feel like it’s their problem to manage. That is not good enough.

Instead of forcing women and girls to change their behaviour, we are going after those who choose to target and intimidate them.

These new laws put the focus on perpetrators. If you harass someone in public because of their sex, it will not be tolerated and you can face a criminal record and up to 2 years behind bars”.

Rose Caldwell, the CEO at Plan International UK, said: “Everyone deserves to move through public spaces without fear. For too long, girls and young women have been left alone to navigate harassment that chips away at their confidence, dignity and freedom. Today marks a long-overdue shift that will make a genuine difference to their lives.

As the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act comes into force, we now have clear guidance that names these behaviours for what they are: illegal and unacceptable. Girls shouldn’t have to fear uninvited touching on public transport or accept that it’s ‘just the way things are’ when they get catcalled on the street.

This is a win for all those who campaigned for safer streets and really matters in a world where we are seeing women and girls’ rights increasingly under attack. We’ll keep advocating to ensure victims feel safe to report this crime and continue banging the drum that this must be paired with prevention. This includes tackling misogyny early in our schools. Without addressing root causes of sexual harassment, we won’t fix the system that holds us all back from a fairer world”.

Georgia Theodoulou, Director of Advocacy at Our Streets Now, said: “As a grassroots organisation, we are extremely proud to have affected legal change in the UK, which is testament to the power of young campaigners and the MPs and lawyers who supported us over the years.

We know that whilst this sends a message that public sexual harassment will no longer be normalised for so many women and girls, the law alone will not change the problematic culture we still live in.

We will carry this success forward in our preventative education work with professionals and young people in the UK”.

Michael Kill, CEO of Night Time Industries Association, said: “This is a significant and welcome step forward in tackling behaviour that has too often been normalised or dismissed. No one should feel unsafe or intimidated simply for going about their daily life, and it is right that the focus is now firmly on those who perpetrate this conduct rather than those who endure it.

From an industry perspective, particularly across the night-time economy, we recognise both the responsibility and the opportunity to support these measures. Venues, transport providers and security teams all play a vital role in creating safer public spaces, and clear legislation strengthens the framework we operate within.

However, legislation alone is not enough. Consistent enforcement, public awareness, and partnership between government, police and businesses will be key to making this meaningful in practice.

This must mark the beginning of a cultural shift where harassment is not tolerated anywhere, at any time”. Photo by Edith Castro Roldán, Oscar Manuel Luna Nieto, Wikimedia commons.