Raab: We need to enforce current laws in order to combat misogyny

6 October 2021, 08:18 | Updated: 6 October 2021, 09:33

Should misogyny be a crime, Mr Raab?

The Deputy Prime Minister has told LBC misogyny should not be a specific crime and focus should instead be on enforcing laws that are already in place.

When asked by LBC's Nick Ferrari whether misogyny should be a crime, Dominic Raab said most misogynistic acts are already criminal offences under other laws.

"I think the things people are talking about are already criminal offences under the public order act and therefore rather than create new legislative offences where there are already a sufficient criminal base, our focus out to be on solving the problem," said Mr Raab.

"The problem is one of enforcement, not that there isn't enough law."

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When pressed by Nick on what he meant by a problem of "enforcement", Mr Raab said acts such as harassment and intimidation were not being enforced "robustly, vigorously, consistently enough".

"If you think of the kind of thing people are talking about - harassment, intimidation, verbal abuse in the streets - all of those things are already criminal," said Mr Raab.

"They've already been criminalised, they're already statutory or other offences.

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"The problem we've got is them being enforced robustly, vigorously, consistently enough.

"We've seen this time and time again throughout the Blair years, the attempt to legislate to deal with what is actually an enforcement problem or deficit.

"So we need to focus on dealing with the problem, because that's the only way you'll give women and the rest of your listeners confidence that we're actually dealing with the problem."

He reiterated: "It is an enforcement problem, not a legislative gap."