Female police officers pose as runners in Bradford in catcalling crackdown

Women subject to harassment while out running are being urged to report it

Female police officers are posing as runners as part of a crackdown on strangers catcalling women out exercising in Bradford.

Those found to be harassing women could be fined up to £1,000.

The measures come after a survey by Runner's World magazine which found 60% of female runners had experienced harassment, largely from men in cars.

Supt Beth Pagnillo said women should be able to "run freely without being concerned".

As well as sending plain-clothed officers to run or jog in "hotspot areas", police are working with running clubs and attending park runs to encourage women to report any harassment they experience.

'Beeping horns'

Bradford Council said those found to be harassing women could be issued with a fine or a fixed penalty notice as part of measures to tackle nuisance behaviour across the district.

Officers are also speaking with women out running to tell them what to do when an issue occurs.

Through chats with female runners in Bradford, harassment has been found to be a widespread concern, with many women saying they had come to accept it as the norm and did not report it to police as they felt no action would be taken.

Speaking in a campaign video, Supt Pagnillo said she had been subjected to unacceptable behaviour while out running, including "cars slowing down, men beeping their horns and comments being shouted out of the window."

She added: "Whilst these incidents in isolation may not seem serious, when they become a regular occurrence they can have a significant impact.

"A build-up of these incidents can make women change their running route, avoid certain locations and choose not to run in the dark. This is not acceptable.

"Women should be able to go out, run freely without being concerned."

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The JogOn campaign is being run by the Safer Bradford Partnership, which is made up of the council, police and NHS.

Councillor Abdul Jabar, Bradford Council's portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and community safety, said: "On the outside this might look like it's just harmless fun and banter but shouting out offensive comments can be intimidating and scary.

"We want women and girls to feel safe on our streets and in our parks."

Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: "Getting out for some exercise can give you such a great feeling, but sadly that can be ruined if you don't feel safe.

"If you've experienced this type of behaviour please report it. You will be believed and support is available."