Sexism to become criminal offence

Belgium’s minister for equal opportunities, Joëlle Milquet, has unveiled plans to make sexism a criminal offence, reports Flanders News. She also wants sexism to be taken into consideration as an exacerbating circumstance when other crimes are being considered. Under existing legislation, incitement to discrimination, hate or violence against people of a different gender are punishable in law, and Milquet wants to see intimidation on the basis of gender also made illegal. The bill refers to “every gesture and utterance that is clearly intended to express contempt vis-à-vis one or more people of a different gender on the basis of their gender or that considers them to be inferior or reduces them to their sexual dimension and that constitutes a serious attack on their dignity”. Victims of sexual intimidation in public places will be able to file a civil complaint.