Overview

This bill aims to tackle violence and harassment against women by making misogyny an aggravating factor in sentencing for crimes and requiring police to record hate crimes motivated by misogyny.

Description

The Hate Crime (Misogyny) Bill proposes two key changes to the law in England and Wales. Firstly, it amends the Sentencing Act 2020 to include "hostility towards women" as an aggravating factor when sentencing individuals convicted of crimes. This means that if a crime is deemed to be motivated by hatred of women, the sentence could be increased. Secondly, the bill mandates that police forces record the number of crimes motivated by misogyny. The definition of a "crime motivated by misogyny" is broad; it includes any crime perceived by the victim or another person as stemming from hostility or prejudice towards women. The bill will come into effect six months after it becomes law.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify new government spending. The cost will likely be related to the implementation of the new recording requirements for police forces and potential increases in court costs associated with longer sentences.

Groups Affected

• Women: The bill directly aims to protect women from violence and harassment by introducing tougher sentencing and improved recording of misogynistic crimes. This could lead to increased protection and a greater acknowledgment of the crimes they face.
• Police forces: Police will have to implement new recording procedures for crimes motivated by misogyny, requiring additional resources and training.
• The Judiciary: Judges will need to consider misogyny as an aggravating factor when sentencing, potentially leading to longer prison sentences for offenders.
• Offenders: Individuals convicted of crimes motivated by misogyny could face harsher penalties.

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