Bradford police operation to tackle street sexual harassment

A man who shouted an an undercover female West Yorkshire Police officer is dealt with by officers

Police in Bradford have launched undercover patrols to stop men in cars catcalling and harassing women.

Staff and students at the city's university have complained of a "barrage of harassment" from men as they walk to and from campus.

West Yorkshire Police said plain-clothes female officers were patrolling Great Horton Road to gather intelligence and reassure students.

The force said harassment of women and girls "in any way is unacceptable".

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Student Meg Henderson, 20, said she believed the issue was a crime and the police action was proportionate.

"It's sexual harassment, it's severely debilitating and it affects us," she said.

'Just shocked'

Ms Henderson, LGBTQ+ officer at Bradford's Union of Students, said teenage girls heading to and from school in uniform had been targeted by men in cars.

"It's men of all ages, a mix of ethnic backgrounds, night and day, all around Bradford but especially around the university," she said.

"Recently I was with friends walking into university one evening, two men pulled up and shouted 'How much?' We were just shocked. If I was on my own I'd have gone straight home."

Det Supt Tanya Wilkins said female students had reported the "behaviour of some drivers in our city which made them feel threatened and unsafe".

"As many of these reports were third-hand only, plain-clothes female officers have been conducting patrols in identified student areas to gain a better understanding of any problems and build an intelligence picture of what is taking place," she said.

"Women should feel safe to walk our streets," added the officer.