Man becomes first person convicted under Belgian sexism law

[demmiblue]

Source: The Guardian

A man who verbally abused a female police officer has become the first person to be convicted in Belgium under a law that criminalises sexism in a public place.

A fine of €3,000 (£2,700) was handed down by a Brussels criminal court over remarks made by a man pulled over by an officer for a violation of the highway code. He was warned that a failure to pay would lead to a month in prison. The man has not been named.

The law against sexism in a public place was put on the Belgian statute books in 2014 following an outcry over a documentary that exposed the abuse faced by women on the streets of Brussels.

Shot with the use of hidden cameras, Femme de la Rue, directed by a film student, Sofie Peeters, offered a stark account of everyday sexism and sexual intimidation in the Belgian capital, including continuous catcalls, wolf whistles, and jeering.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/06/man-becomes-first-person-convicted-under-belgian-sexism-law?CMP=twt_gu

[malthaussen]

1. That's a pretty stiff fine.

Might make a lot of idiots stand up and take notice, but of course those with plenty of money can be as abusive as they like. Now, if it ramped up to mandatory jail time for repeat offenders...

-- Mal

[displacedtexan]

2. Publication of the convicted man's name would go a long way...

...toward stopping that kind of behavior.