Readers’ reactions – Butt slaps, touching new frontier of debate as harassment law passed

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck is hoping that the Sexual Harassment Bill that was passed on Tuesday will send a clear signal about new norms of engagement with women. Here are some readers’ reactions from The Gleaner’s social media pages:

Twitter

I haven’t seen this act as yet but I hope it addressed not only sexual abuse against women but all sexual abuses. Jamaica, as a society, has paid lip service to abuses and exploitations of a sexual kind against adolescence for far too long. Time for action.

–@Anthony66372214

Watch your thoughts, guard your actions. Protect yourselves and be smart men and women. Respect people’s personal space and keep your hands to yourself. #peace #love #poetry.

– @DewarFruittree

Facebook

So what about our men? They are harassed too, eno.

– Sail Lyn

I hope this goes both ways! Because for years we all see women doing what they want to men and it is seen as just playful.

– Ian Brown

Mr Minister, “affectionate touching”? There should be absolutely no touching, sir. Affectionate touching would be highly debatable, do not leave anything up to interpretation, the law must be unequivocal. There must be no unwelcome gestures, no unwelcome compliment, etc.

– Collin E. Bennett

It’s about time. We need a sex offender registry now. We can’t have people who hurt especially children just live like they are a normal part of society. That is why many are repeat offenders.

– Shénnel Moore

Just leave the women alone . In the workplace, treat them as professionals and give them the same respect as a male, do not get personal for any reason whatsoever. In public the same rules apply. If a woman is not your fiancée, wife or relative, leave them alone.

– Peter Oral Roberts

Instagram

I agree. Please to also bring in a new law for women who are purposely giving men jackets. Men need some justice too, it’s not just about women, men are suffering too, I’ve seen it.

– @kindheartalex

This bill is long overdue! Some of these men will learn to keep their damn opinions, hands and eyes to themselves. As a woman who has an obvious behind I’ve felt the “strip down stares”, the whispers or outright comments under the guise of compliment! Listen, we have suffered long enough!

– @kai_endlesslove

Good, now pass one for men. They get harassed too, and we’re acting as if they should be okay with that.

– @malli_loveheart

This is total hypocrisy, those touches these days are mostly done by women. It was just yesterday a woman co-worker rubbed a male co-worker’s thigh and said “you’re putting on weight, man”. After which I made a joke about it, saying that if it was ever a man who did that to a woman you wouldn’t hear the last of it.

– @djweng_weng