Wolf-whistling could soon become a criminal offence in France

A step in the right direction.

Wolf-whistling and other forms of public harassment could soon become illegal in France. According to The Times, following women down the street, and asking for a phone number numerous times could also become an offence. The under-secretary for gender equality Marlène Schiappa is working with four other MPs to write up legislation on the measure, and they will also decide on penalties for the offenders. Marlène said: "The idea is to characterise street harassment so that the police can impose fines on men who follow women on the streets, intimidate them and harass them in public space. "It is a cultural struggle to bring down the tacit consensus of acceptance of violence." She told The Guardian: "Twenty euros would be a bit humiliating, €5,000 would be more of a deterrent." The measure comes after a survey conducted in the country showed that basically every woman in France has been harassed on the street. President Macron also promised that the matter would be dealt with during his election earlier this year.