Outrages sexistes
French courts have handed down 447 fines in the past eight months under new laws to tackle street harassment of women.
The “outrages sexistes” law was passed in August 2018, and allows for on-the-spot fines of up to €750 (£650).
The first fine was handed down a month later to a man who slapped a woman’s bottom on a bus and made lewd remarks.
I can’t help wondering (not for the first time) what the point is. Did he think that would prompt her to have sex with him right there on the bus? Surely not. So, what, then? Just expressing a little casual hatred and contempt, because he couldn’t have sex with her right there on the bus? I guess so.
Showing off for others is part of it. He’s a man. Therefore, slap woman’s butts to demonstrate he’s a man.
I’m glad they have a law like that. We should.
And the casual cruelty of a bully.
And iknklast@1 is right, we should have such a law. Can you imagine the howls out of congress if such a thing were proposed, though?
James Garnett, too many Congress critters would be at risk of fines, I imagine. Their records are far from sterling.
It’s intimidation. Probably, at some depth, a desire to erase women from public space. How could such activity be mistaken for an expression of actual desire?
Perhaps because ever since she was in kindergarten, Susie’s parents (and possibly teachers) have told her that the reason Tommy pulled her hair/kicked her/pushed her in the mud/snapped her bra strap was because he liked her.