Downblousing will become a criminal offence, says Rishi Sunak in leadership pledge

The former chancellor has vowed to get tough on sex offenders if he wins a surprise victory in the race for number 10, saying he will take the the act of photographing a woman's top without her consent, or "downblouse", illegal
Rishi Sunak has announced that he plans to make "downblouse" a criminal offense if he becomes prime minister (
Image: Reuters)

Downblousing will become a criminal offense if Rishi Sunak becomes prime minister, the former chancellor has announced.

Mr. Sunak has promised a crackdown on sex offenders if he wins a surprise victory in the race for number 10 - saying he would make it illegal to take pictures of a woman's top without her consent, or "downblousing ", illegal.
Currently, in England and Wales, acts such as upskirting or voyeurism are criminalized, but downblouse is not covered by existing legislation.

The former chancellor also said he would create a new emergency task force to track down grooming gangs.

Mr. Sunak said, "Sexual violence against women and girls must be treated as a national emergency until it is defeated.

"As the father of two daughters, I want them to be able to take evening walks or go shopping at night without fear of being threatened.

Mr. Sunak said he proposed the change "as a father of two daughters" (
Picture:
PENNSYLVANIA)
"As Chancellor, I have taken support for victims to record levels - quadrupling those under Labor - and a groundbreaking new approach to policing that is helping to increase the prosecution of sex offenders.
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"As Prime Minister, I will go further. I will make it a criminal offense to harass women by taking intimate images of them without their consent, and I will introduce a major crackdown on grooming gangs.
"We can't let racial sensitivities stop us from catching dangerous criminals who prey on women, and I won't stop until we live in a society where women and girls can go about their daily business feeling safe."
The former Chancellor's announcement comes hours after his Conservative leadership...

Politics Jul 28, 2022 0 85 Add to Reading List

Downblousing will become a criminal offence, says Rishi Sunak in leadership pledge

The former chancellor has vowed to get tough on sex offenders if he wins a surprise victory in the race for number 10, saying he will take the the act of photographing a woman's top without her consent, or "downblouse", illegal

Rishi Sunak has announced that he plans to make "downblouse" a criminal offense if he becomes prime minister (

Image: Reuters)

Downblousing will become a criminal offense if Rishi Sunak becomes prime minister, the former chancellor has announced.

Mr. Sunak has promised a crackdown on sex offenders if he wins a surprise victory in the race for number 10 - saying he would make it illegal to take pictures of a woman's top without her consent, or "downblousing ", illegal.

Currently, in England and Wales, acts such as upskirting or voyeurism are criminalized, but downblouse is not covered by existing legislation.

The former chancellor also said he would create a new emergency task force to track down grooming gangs.

Mr. Sunak said, "Sexual violence against women and girls must be treated as a national emergency until it is defeated.

"As the father of two daughters, I want them to be able to take evening walks or go shopping at night without fear of being threatened.

Mr Sunak said he was proposing the change 'as a father of two daughters'

Mr. Sunak said he proposed the change "as a father of two daughters" (

Picture:

PENNSYLVANIA)

"As Chancellor, I have taken support for victims to record levels - quadrupling those under Labor - and a groundbreaking new approach to policing that is helping to increase the prosecution of sex offenders.

"As Prime Minister, I will go further. I will make it a criminal offense to harass women by taking intimate images of them without their consent, and I will introduce a major crackdown on grooming gangs.

"We can't let racial sensitivities stop us from catching dangerous criminals who prey on women, and I won't stop until we live in a society where women and girls can go about their daily business feeling safe."

The former Chancellor's announcement comes hours after his Conservative leadership...