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Wolf-Whistlers To Be Fined £656 In France Under New Sexual Violence Laws

Wolf-Whistlers To Be Fined £656 In France Under New Sexual Violence Laws

In a drive to stop sexual harassment in France, individuals deemed to be behaving inappropriately can be hit with on-the-spot penalties

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Whether you're the kind of charmer who likes to give a cheeky whistle of appreciation, the odd lewd comment or a nice stalk on a Saturday afternoon - it may be time to stop.

Because now people who wolf-whistle on French streets could face fines of up to £656 after lawmakers approved legislation in a bid to combat sexual violence.

Many may be reading this screaming 'hallelujah', but calm it for now because the legislation needs to be debated in the Senate.

According to The Sun, in a drive to discourage sexual harassment, cat-callers and aggressively lecherous behaviour, individuals of either sex could be hit with on-the-spot penalties ranging from £80 to £656.

Yes, of either sex. So don't get your knickers in a twist guys, we're here to dig nobody out.

This comes after a global wave of sexual assault allegations against men in business, entertainment and politics.

Just weeks ago, a sports reporter was captured on camera hitting a male football fan with her microphone after he acted 'inappropriately' live on air.

Now, President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has said that the bill is meant to ensure 'women are not afraid to be outside'.

PA

But some aren't best pleased because during last week's debate, far-right lawmaker Emmanuelle Menard denounced the legislation as a 'witch-hunt against men'.

He also described it as something that outlawed 'a certain bawdy behaviour which cannot be compared to harassment'.

Gender Equality Minister, Marlene Schiappa, told Reuters last year that the government was not looking to stamp out flirtatious behaviour and kill the culture of the 'French lover'.

Gender Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa
Gender Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa

She said she was simply looking to establish that consent was key.

Although the anti-harassment laws include wolf-whistling, there are other behaviours that may be deemed 'harassment' and could involve fines in the country.

The proposed legislation is likely to outlaw making lewd comments, wolf-whistling, following women, bugging them for their phone number and blocking their path.

Back in 2017 a film critic spoke out about a positive experience she remembers, involving a pretty big Hollywood name.

Nell Minnow recalled interviewing David Schwimmer in 2010 about the actor/director's latest film at the time, Trust.

David Schwimmer.
PA

The pair met at a busy restaurant to conduct the interview and when the noise grew too loud, former Friends star Schwimmer presented the option of going up to his hotel room to finish the conversation, adding that he would make sure a third person was present.

At least Ross Geller knows how it's done. People of the world, take note.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Community, France, Politics