TOTAL GENOCIDE IN BONGLAND: Police seize cars from men for catcalling women

Police are seizing cars from men for catcalling women out jogging who were undercover female officers in disguise in a crackdown on harassment.

Four cars were taken away by officers as part of an initiative to help women feel safer when out exercising, after a survey found 60 per cent of women feel intimidated when they go for a run.

West Yorkshire Police, in partnership with other bodies, has undercover female police officers posing as runners.

The hope is to make men 'think twice' about cat calling and making inappropriate comments to exercising women, especially from cars as they drive past.

The council said the JogOn initiative had run six operations since March to catch men, and said it is 'clear' that many don't even think the behaviour counts as harassment.

One of the men who was stopped even tried to give the excuse that he was 'encouraging the females to run'.

Many women feeling scared and intimidated and seek out alternative running routes or changing the times they go out to avoid cat calling, offensive comments and physical harassment.

Runners said they had come to accept it as the norm and did not report it to the police, as they did not feel it would be taken seriously or that no action would be taken.

The police have sent female officers out in plain clothes to run or jog in 'hotspot' areas.

Bradford Council can also enforce its Public Space Protection Order which bans the anti-social use of vehicles and includes 'shouting, swearing at, or abusing, threatening or intimidating another person – including using sexual language or making sexual suggestions' from a vehicle.

Offenders can receive a Fixed Penalty Notice or a £1,000 fine.

When the police can seize your vehicle:

The police can seize a vehicle if they think it's being used in a way that causes alarm, harassment or distress, for example careless or inconsiderate driving.

They can also seize a vehicle if they think it's being driven by someone who does not have a proper licence or insurance, is dangerously, illegally or obstructively parked or is broken-down or abandoned.

If your vehicle is seized there's a 'release fee' of up to £200 plus a storage fee of £20 for every day or part day.

"if they think it's being used in a way that causes alarm, harassment or distress"