Parliament Presented with Petition for Criminalization of Sexual Harassment

The Georgian Parliament has been presented with a petition that calls for the criminalisation of sexual harassment in both public and at the workplace, by women’s rights activists. 

Organised by the Georgian Women’s Movement (GWM), the petition, having gained over 1,000 signatures, was submitted to parliament on Tuesday, 24th October. 

The group has called for the amendment of Georgia’s Labour Code and Code of Administrative Offences, in order to qualify sexual harassment in public places and workplaces a punishable offence. GWM has defined sexual harassment in public spaces as ‘comments of a sexual nature, obscene jokes, staring, whistling, persistently demanding a phone number after a woman has refused, touching, showing genitalia’, and others. 

Urging the parliament to make necessary and timely changes, the petition states: ‘There are no legislative penalties for sexual harassment in Georgia today, and it’s not defined as discrimination.’ 

GWM accuses the parliament of failing to consider the number of draft laws seeking to criminalise harassment that have been brought to their attention in the past. 

The Facebook page, What Happened in the Street., marks the launch of a recent campaign against sexual harassment, launched by women’s rights groups in Georgia, sharing the first-hand experiences and stories of women who have been harassed in taxis, buses, and in other public places.

Photo source: Bustle.com

By Mate Foldi

Edited by Tamzin Whitewood