Combating the scourge

The minister of justice has assured the country that sexual harassment is being addressed already and is punishable by up to six months imprisonment or the payment of a fine. 

This assurance came in the wake of a recent report that sexual harassment is on the rise. The minister also confirmed that the government is planning to stiffen the penalty for this crime by amending the relevant provision of the Penal Code. 

He said the proposed amendments include publishing the photos of those proven guilty of sexual harassment in dailies as a deterrent. 

While the attention that the government is giving to this growing menace is commendable, the crime is dealt with indirectly as the Penal Code does not contain a specific article against sexual harassment.  Article 306 referred to by the minister is about indecent acts and does not address the issue of sexual harassment per se. 

International norms now require countries to incorporate a specific provision against sexual harassment in their legislation and not, as is the case now in Jordan, have the issue dealt with indirectly under the umbrella of a general provision against indecent acts. 

Sexual harassment has spread across the world in epidemic proportions necessitating nations to adopt specific laws to combat and punish the crime severely. 

Jordan should be no exception to this rule of thumb and, therefore, ought to either incorporate a specific article on the issue in the Penal Code or adopt a special law on sexual harassment.

This is the right time to address this issue properly and effectively before it gets out of control. 

Needless to add, combating this scourge requires not only legislation, but also a concerted campaign to increase awareness. Human rights NGOs and civil society must join this effort.