Criminalisation of "street harassment" in Belgium and France: Two different legislative approaches to "sexist" acts

Abstract

In the fight against "street harassment", both France et Belgium adopt laws which make sexism an offence. However, the legislators follow different approaches. This article compares the rationale behind these laws, the way in which the notion of "sexism" is understood in these two legal systems and the forms of effectiveness that French and Belgian legislators intend to give to the legal measures put in place.

Keywords

• street harassment
• sexist outrage
• belgium
• france
• criminalisation