SHANGHAI, April 28 - The Standing Committee of Shanghai Municipal People's Congress on Thursday passed legislation that defines sexual harassment and allows women who are harassed to sue their harassers.

 

It is China's first legal decree to define sexual harassment.

 

The revised Shanghai Municipal Measures for Implementing China's Law on Protection of Women's Rights stipulates that sexual harassment includes verbal abuse, written text, pictures, text messaging and physical contact. The new measure also allows victims the right to lodge complaints with the employer, relevant departments and public security organizations.

 

"Relevant departments and employers must take necessary measures to prevent and stop sexual harassment toward women," saysthe measure.

 

Shen Guoming, vice chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, said the Law on Protection of Women's Rights, which was adopted in 2005, did not define sexual harassment making it difficult to enforce.

 

"I believe a clear definition of the forms of sexual harassment in our local legislation complements the national law and helps improve the effectiveness of the national law," said Shen.

 

The Shanghai legislation also allows women who were subjected to sexually harassment to ask public security organizations to punish perpetrators and to sue their harassers in court.