LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ministers have been accused of “turning a blind eye” to the “hatred” fuelling violence against women, as MPs voted against making misogyny a hate crime.
Only one Conservative MP, Lucy Allan, voted against removing a House of Lords’ amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that would have made misogyny a hate crime.
The amendment was defeated by a vote of 314 to 190, a margin of 124 votes.
‘Could make it more difficult to prosecute serious offences.’
Kit Malthouse, the minister of policing, said the administration recognises and shares the “sincere concern” for the safety of girls and women, and that the government is “committed to make serious inroads” on the issue.
Making misogyny a hate crime, on the other hand, he argued, ran the risk of being damaging to the women’s protection and safety cause” and could possibly have “unintended consequences.”
According to Mr Malthouse, adding gender and sex to hate crime laws “might be more detrimental than helpful” and possibly counterproductive, according to a Law Commission’s suggestion.
“The main reason for this is that it could make prosecuting the most serious crimes against women and girls, such as domestic abuse and rape more difficult,” he said.
Such toxic attitude is not acceptable.
Following the loss, Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse charged the Conservatives with “turning a blind eye to the hatred that fuels violence against women.”
To help wipe out violence that women endure, clear law must be made that such toxic attitudes are not acceptable in the society, she continued.
These heinous crimes should never happen to a woman. No girl should be afraid of them as she grows up.
The proposal received Labour’s support from Shadow Home Office Minister Sarah Jones, who said it will “raise public awareness, boost victims’ trust in reporting, and improve the way the police respond.”
‘The flinch you get when you exit the tube’
Police departments have found it useful to record data on sex or gender as a driving factor for crimes, including for spotting patterns of behaviour, according to Labour MP Stella Creasy.
She claims that many women face sexual harassment and abuse on a regular basis.
The wince when you exit a Tube station, making sure no one is following you, clutching the keys in your hand, thinking about what your daughter is wearing, praying that your son isn’t one of those people who does it, she told the Commons.
The minister’s problem is that he claims to listen and know women, and that he understands this subject. But, if he understood anything, he must listen to the suffragettes, who said that it’s the actions, not the words that count, she added.
“And we’ve only heard words tonight.”
Before the bill returns to the Lords, she urged Mr Malthouse to come up with an alternate option.
