Police Go Undercover to Catch Catcallers Terrorising Women Joggers
In a bold new operation, police in Surrey, South East England, have deployed female undercover officers to pose as joggers, aiming to catch catcallers who have been harassing women during their daily runs.
The sting, prompted by a surge in reports of harassment at ‘hotspots’ where women have been followed, approached, and catcalled, has already yielded 18 arrests for offences including harassment, sexual assault, and theft in just four weeks.
The Social Experiment
Plain-clothed officers targeted known harassment hotspots, donning running gear and jogging during peak hours.
Specialist police units waited nearby, ready to intervene in case of any abuse.
The undercover operation has demonstrated the alarming frequency of catcalling incidents, with one officer reporting being honked at within ten minutes of starting her jog, and another vehicle slowing down to make gestures just 30 seconds later.
“Someone slowing down, staring, shouting – even if it’s not always criminal – can have a huge impact on people’s everyday lives and stops women from doing something as simple as going for a run,” said Surrey Inspector Jon Vale, who is leading the operation.
“We have to ask: is that person going to escalate?
Are they a sexual offender?
We want to manage that risk early.”
Criticism and Response
The campaign has faced criticism from the Free Speech Union, which labelled it a “bizarre social-psychology experiment” and suggested that officers should focus on enforcing existing laws.
However, Police Constable Abby Hayward, involved in the sting, countered that catcalling affects her and her colleagues even while on the job.
“We get catcalled.
We get honked at.
People slow down just to stare – or lean out the window to shout something.
It’s so common, but it’s harassment and it needs to be recognised as that,” she said.
Australia’s Street Harassment Problem
Street harassment is a pervasive issue in Australia, particularly for women and girls.
Research reveals that almost four in five (78 per cent) of Australian women have experienced street harassment, with the number climbing to 90 per cent for those who identify as part of at least two minority groups.