Ukrainian court makes sensational ruling: touching buttocks in a crowd is not harassment
On 27 November 2025, a Ukrainian court ruled that touching someone's buttocks without consent in public, especially in a crowd, does not constitute sexual harassment. The case attracted public attention after a woman filed a complaint against a pensioner who allegedly touched her buttocks on the metro.
Source Glavcom
The judge considered that accidental touches can happen in crowded places without the intent to humiliate or offend anyone. Therefore, such incidents do not meet the legal definition of sexual harassment under current Ukrainian law.
This ruling may significantly affect legal practice in Ukraine and spark public debate on the boundaries of personal space in public settings.
