Reshared post from +Alex Scrivener
Soon, it could be a criminal matter to call someone a ‘sexist’ in Belgium. Even if someone may in fact be one. Why, you ask? Because the country’s political majority is determined to enact a new law. In what is believed to be the first legislation of its type, anywhere, the concept of sexism will be rendered punishable.
A logical side effect of making sexism illegal is that the simple act of accusing someone of being sexist, may amount to criminal defamation. Under Belgian law, as in many other legal systems, it is an offense to accuse someone of having committed crimes that they were not actually convicted for. Law is often a double-edged sword.
In addition to this, the bill is superfluous and it poses major risks to free speech.
Embedded Link
Belgium bans a wide range of sexist speech
Short summary of story
Except when it's abuse…that can damage the other person. Patriarchy in India will not allow empowerment of women in a century. That's done by destroying opportunity and at an individual level, putting women down and destroying their personality and work reputation. Happened to me.
In US legal tradition, most abuse of speech of such sort — defamation, libel/slander, etc. — is handled through civil law (as the basis for a civil suit for monetary reward). Criminal speech restrictions are generally reserved for national security matters or incitement to commit a crime.
True. Dave and criminal libel is a thing of the past but suppose the speech contains verbal abuse and indecent representation of women [multiple alias used on online profiles]…it may be a prelude to a heinous crime on a woman by someone who thinks he's invincible. This person may not be a qualified critic with evidence at hand. There will always be a personal element to criticism and when a true victim posts abuse on the system, it's really not a problem.
In India, we have a further obstacle…The archaic…
Section 500, IPC, 1860
Whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1041742/
The problem is this is commonly used by celebrity males against women! Simple – rape a woman and say 'she's defaming' when she comes out with it! Commonly, in India, society blames victims and the criminal gets away! Indian press has not even publicized this well. The question is, in such a mixed up country with the most corrupt system, how do women journos/workers, who are most often molested and abused by family and at work, wade through? It may be a justice system which examines who actually got victimized and so gets justified heaping abuse.
When I was struck by mafia, they had known that my close people [family and relatives are utilitarian psychopaths] abused me and I had no friends. They had collected enough goons to create a public insult and intimidate. When I kept video records, and appealed to human rights, they claimed 'right to privacy'! Which means a public crime can't be recorded but my retaliating to them would be a 'defamation' or 'right to privacy' case! It's complicated.
Check this out…celebrity male criminals are regularly on social media…
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/anand-singh-arrested/article5243328.ece
https://www.facebook.com/Anandsinghhospet/info
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/77264/santosh-lad-arrested.html
https://www.facebook.com/santosh.lad.370?fref=ts
Who will be accused of defamation? Let's see….the activist/journalist…and he gets attacked!
http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/sunday-pioneer/nation/karnataka-illegal-mining-crusaders-office-attacked.html