Surrey Police launched the “Jog On” campaign, an innovative initiative that uses female officers running undercover to catch street harassers. Officer Abby Hayward volunteered and, during a 5-kilometer run, was subjected to honking and inappropriate comments on two occasions, showing how widespread the problem is.
In just 20 minutes of patrol, the runners had already suffered harassment. A truck driver shouted at them, and barely 15 seconds after setting off again, another driver harassed them once more. “This shows how valuable this operation is”, Hayward said.
A survey revealed that 94% of women in Surrey have experienced harassment, but nearly half have never reported it. The Jog On campaign aims not only to identify offenders, but also to educate the community about the seriousness of this behavior.
