Yesterday, Conservative MPs voted against a law that would have made misogyny a hate crime. The House of Lords approved adding misogyny in the list of hate crimes last month. The vote comes days after a man pleaded guilty to the murder of Sabina Nessa and just days before the anniversary of the murder of Sarah Everard.
Cross-party peers had added a clause to the Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to make crimes motivated by hatred of women aggravated offences, so they are treated as seriously as crimes motivated by racial or religious hatred. Liberal Democrat MPs voted to keep the amendment, which now returns to the House of Lords.
By voting against making misogyny a hate crime, the Conservatives are turning a blind eye to the hatred that fuels violence against women.
We must make clear in law that these toxic attitudes are unacceptable in our society, to help stamp out the abuse women face. pic.twitter.com/XnBFac6XHU
— Wera Hobhouse MP 🔶 🇺🇦 (@Wera_Hobhouse) February 28, 2022
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice and Women & Equalities, said:
Violence by men against women and girls is far too prevalent in our society. Too many women feel unsafe walking down their own streets.
By voting against making misogyny a hate crime, the Conservatives are turning a blind eye to the hatred that fuels violence against women.
We must make clear in law that these toxic attitudes are unacceptable in our society, to help stamp out the abuse women face.
No woman should be the victim of these awful crimes. And no girl should grow up in fear of them either.
Making misogyny a hate crime is not a silver bullet but it will send a powerful signal that we need a culture change so women are properly heard and that attitudes towards women that lead to offences from sexual harassment to sexual assault are unacceptable and should be unlawful pic.twitter.com/Kmfa3ri1Xw
— Wera Hobhouse MP 🔶 🇺🇦 (@Wera_Hobhouse) March 1, 2022
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2 Comments
Sadly it was to be expected. Why people vote for them I am always at a loss to understand.
Wera needs to be very clear what she wants to outlaw. I presume that her wishing to outlaw “attitudes towards women that lead to offences” is a matter of clumsy wording.