Is Criminalizing Sexual Harassment Enough? Lebanon’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Law: Benefits And Drawbacks
15 Pages Posted: 18 Jan 2023
Date Written: January 15, 2023
Abstract
Sexual harassment is a form of gender-based violence that afflicts people of all ages, genders, nationalities, and backgrounds. Sexual harassment is defined as all sexual-related acts that people are subjected to without their consent, which include but are not limited to rape, unsolicited touching, catcalling, and staring at someone for too long (also called ogling).
The Lebanese Parliament passed a law in 2014 condemning domestic violence, which was a major step forward on the path to gender parity. Moreover, a law criminalizing sexual harassment in Lebanon was passed in 2020 that holds perpetrators of sexual violence accountable for their actions by incarcerating them for a period dependent on the severity of the harassment or assault as well as a fine they will have to pay.
Law 205 that criminalizes sexual harassment is another chief advancement, yet it is lacking on several fronts, therefore making it falling short of international humanitarian standards, consequently raising the question of its efficacy.
This being said, this paper shall dissect Law 205 and try to answer the question of whether or not it is enough to combat sexual harassment in Lebanon, whether in the workplace or public places.
Keywords: GBV, Gender-Based Violence, NGO, Non-Governmental Organization, VAW, Violence Against Women, SRT – Sigrid Rausing Trust, Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera Media Network, MoSA, Ministry of Social Affairs, NCLW, National Commission for Lebanese Women
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