Renewed calls to classify misogyny as a hate crime have emerged in response to a sharp increase in the secret filming of women and girls in public spaces. Campaigners and digital harm experts joined Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse this week to urge legal reform in England and Wales.
Legal Change Sought
A change to the law would allow misogyny—defined as hatred or dislike of women and girls, or a sense of male superiority—to be considered an aggravating factor in crimes such as stalking or harassment. Currently, such acts often fall below the threshold for prosecution.
Footage of women on nights out, exercising, or simply walking in public is increasingly captured covertly using smartphones or smart glasses, then uploaded to online forums or social media without consent. These videos are frequently monetised, with comments and shares centred on sexual gratification, derogatory views, or humiliation.
Case Highlights Legal Gap
At a roundtable event hosted by Mrs Hobhouse, it was revealed that in 2024, Greater Manchester Police arrested a man for repeatedly creating and selling nightlife voyeurism content online. However, the case collapsed because his actions did not meet the legal definition of a crime.
Mrs Hobhouse, MP for Bath, believes making misogyny a hate crime would enable easier prosecution of covert filming for misogynistic purposes. She is calling on the Law Commission to revisit its 2022 recommendation against categorising gender-based prejudice as a crime.
Broader Societal Issue
Speaking to the Mirror, Mrs Hobhouse described covert filming and nightlife voyeurism as symptoms of widespread misogyny. “This is an attempt to harm women, to ultimately make them change their behaviour in public spaces, to make their voices smaller, put them back in the box,” she said. “They don’t dare to go out any more, they don’t dare to speak up any more.”
She acknowledged that legal recognition is not a silver bullet but would send a strong signal across legislation. “It’s not the only thing we can do, but I will pick up again the issue of making misogyny a hate crime,” she pledged.
Technology Amplifies Problem
Professor Olga Jurasz, Director of the Centre for Protecting Women Online, told the Mirror that technology is escalating misogyny, blaming a lack of investment in preventing violence against women and girls. “These behaviours are preconditioned by sexism, misogyny, by discrimination of women… because for many years there has been a failure to invest in prevention of violence against women and girls, failure to invest in prevention of gender stereotyping,” she said.
She added: “We are finding ourselves now at a joint road where these two problems collide and technology is amplifying these societal issues.”
