Government strengthens existing legal provisions for all forms of sexual harassment

• Cabinet nods to make soliciting sexual bribes offence, impose severe penalties

The Government has decided to strengthen the existing legal provisions for all forms of sexual harassment and to impose severe punishments for those found guilty of such criminal acts. The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday approved to amend existing laws to make soliciting sexual bribes a criminal offence and to impose severe penalties.

“It was decided to prepare a bill to include articles in the Penal Code, criminalising sexual assault and all forms of sexual harassment, and to introduce sexual bribery, as well as punishment for offenders of such criminal acts,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman Bandula Gunawardane said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

The proposal to this effect tabled by Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

“Sexual harassment is a violation of fundamental human rights and is mentioned in Section 345 of the Penal Code. It is observed that this problem continues even though there are legal provisions to set the punishment for those crimes,” a statement containing weekly Cabinet decisions issued by the Government information department noted.