-
British man proud to also carry Paris Olympics torch in France
Alastair Rutt says he is honoured to represent Great Britain - although he is a little nervous after a knee injury
-
Thousands of drivers in France to get late speed tickets due to IT bug
Over 600,000 drivers are set to receive fines for small infractions in 2023
-
Explore French museums for free this Saturday evening
Giant game of Cluedo, escape games and many other unique events on offer as over 1,000 museums stay open late for La Nuit Européennes des Musées
700 street harassment fines issued in France in a year
Behaviour such as cat-calling, making offensive comments about a person's appearance, obscene gestures, unwanted propositioning, or deliberately and insistently following someone in the street can now result in fines of between €90 and €750
Authorities in France have issued more than 700 fines since a street harassment law came into effect a year ago, the government has announced.
La tolérance face au harcèlement de rue a trop duré ! Il n'est désormais plus permis d'invectiver, de menacer, de suivre, d'humilier les femmes dans la rue, les transports ou l'espace public. Les verbalisations continuent. #LoiSchiappa pic.twitter.com/Xolyn2Nuv7
— Gouvernement (@gouvernementFR) August 7, 2019
"The tolerance towards street harassment has lasted too long! It is no longer allowed to insult, threaten, follow, or humiliate women in the street, transport system or public space. The fines will continue," it said in a tweet.
The law is the brainchild of Equality Minister Marlène Schiappa, who spearheaded the effort as part of wide-ranging legislation against sexual violence in France.
Behaviour such as cat-calling, offensive comments on a person's appearance, making obscene gestures, unwanted propositioning or deliberately and insistently following someone in the street can now result in fines of between €90 and €750.
They can rise to €1,500 for repeat offences, or for those targeting someone under the age of 15; or for a range of other aggravating circumstances.
A government report in 2015 said that every woman who had used public transport in Paris had suffered at least one instance of sexual harassment or assault.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France