Hong Kong considering changes to sexual harassment laws to cover school activities after alleged rapes, assaults at university camps, equality watchdog says
- Ricky Chu, who chairs Equal Opportunities Commission, says proposals made for loopholes that stop lawsuits being brought over school activities
- Move comes after spate of alleged rapes and assaults at several university orientation camps, which have resulted in three men being arrested
Hong Kong is considering amending sexual harassment laws to cover behaviour reported during varsity activities after allegations of rapes and assaults at several university orientation camps, the equality watchdog has said.
Ricky Chu Man-kin, who chairs the Equal Opportunities Commission, on Sunday said the watchdog had proposed changes to the Sex Discrimination Ordinance to fix a loophole that prevented sexual harassment lawsuits from being brought against students participating in some of the activities at the camps.
“For example, bringing people’s lips closely together and having a girl wear very light-coloured clothes, getting her wet and not allowing her to get changed – these cases may not have reached the level of a criminal offence,” Chu said in a televised interview.
The ordinance regulates establishments such as the government, workplaces and education institutions. It sets out legal guidelines for protecting work colleagues against gender-based discrimination, but does not cover activities between student peers.
Police recently arrested three students, who were all men and aged 20, 22 and 28, for offences including sexual assault and voyeurism. The 28-year-old man was believed to be linked to four such cases at orientation camps.
He added sexual harassment could also be experienced by someone who mostly observed the activities and felt uneasy in the process, even though they did directly participate.
“It is clear that some people may have found it uncomfortable and repulsive, whether they were a bystander or a participant.”
