Female police officers in Surrey have been posing as runners to catch and combat catcalling and harassment in the county – and it has led to 18 arrests.
As part of Surrey Police’s Jog On campaign, which exists to stamp out street-based harassment against women runners, the deployed female officers volunteered to go undercover as plainclothed runners for a one-month pilot operation. The aim was to catch men seen harassing women while they were running or exercising in public areas – and to educate those who don’t realise the harm that they’re causing.
Throughout the pilot operation, specialist police units were situated close to the plainclothed running officers so that they could intervene at the first sign of any abuse.
The offences that resulted in the 18 arrests not only included harassment, but also theft and sexual assault. Meanwhile, the officers – who were dressed in everyday running kit and ran at known harassment hotspot areas during rush hour – experienced catcalling from the off. As reported by LBC and Inspector Jon Vale, Surrey Police’s Violence Against Women and Girls Safer Spaces Lead, one of the officers was honked at by a man in a vehicle within 10 minutes. Then, according to Vale, ‘another vehicle slowed down, beeping and making gestures just 30 seconds later – that’s how frequent it is’.
Although catcalling, specifically, is not a criminal offence, it can lead to more serious offences later down the line, emphasising the importance of reporting and tackling the problem.
‘Someone slowing down, staring, shouting – even if it’s not always criminal, it can have a huge impact on people’s everyday lives and stops women from doing something as simple as going for a run,’ continued Vale to LBC.
‘We have to ask: “Is that person going to escalate? Are they a sexual offender?” We want to manage that risk early.’
As it stands, however, not enough women feel able or confident enough to report the issue – or perhaps, sadly, they experience it too often. In one part of Surrey alone, said Vale, a survey found that almost half of female runners did not report harassment to the police.
Unfortunately, these findings align with the results of countless other studies on the safety of women runners – especially during winter months and hours of darkness. A 2024 study by Pacing the first-ever women’s sub-4 mile attempt, for instance, discovered that 72% of women altered their outdoor running routes and activity routines during winter and that almost a quarter (24%) stuck to well-lit routes, or avoided certain areas completely (23%). A 2023 study by Adidas also found that 92% of women felt concerned about their safety while running – no matter what the season or time of day – and that over a third (38%) of women have experienced physical or verbal harassment on the run.
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‘The rise in violence against women and girls is real,’ said PC Abi Hayward to LBC, a runner who volunteered to go undercover for the pilot operation – and who has experienced catcalling for herself. ‘We’re talking about women being spat at, stalked, harassed while they’re just out on a run – it’s just horrendous.
‘I’m proud to be part of this,’ added Hayward. ‘It’s long overdue – and it’s making a difference.’
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