Sexist response to police op disappoints runner

An ambassador for women runners has described sexist comments made on social media in response to a police operation tackling misogynistic behaviour as "really disappointing".

Lillian Istance, from Hereford, said the comments "highlight the culture that we're in at the moment".

It comes after West Mercia Police said nearly two-thirds of comments made on a post about the force's "Jog On" initiative were dismissive, derogatory or offensive.

"We do have rights as women but culturally we're still disrespected when we're trying to go about our everyday life," she said. "It's been normalised and when we try to speak up we're penalised for that."

The operation sees plain-clothed officers reveal instances of street-based harassment while posing as joggers.

Istance, an ambassador for Altra's She Runs Free and also the founder of Girlies that Run, a female-only running and fitness community, added: "Some people are trying to argue it's just a beep and what harm is it anyway.

"When you look into it, it's the same sort of communication you'd use with animals. It is really disrespectful to women to communicate to them in that way.

"We're not saying men aren't allowed to approach women but I think it needs to be done respectfully."

West Mercia Police, which covers Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire, said misogynistic remarks and predatory behaviours were not acceptable.

It added that a survey by Runner's World magazine showed that, nationally, 60% of female runners experienced some form of harassment, in particular from men in cars, and such incidents were significantly under reported.

In a video posted on Thursday, the police and crime commissioner highlighted comments that had been posted beneath a video that was shared on Wednesday which detailed how officers were using the scheme.

"While some may see them as 'just words', these attitudes contribute to a culture where harassment is normalised and women's experiences are minimised," the PCC posted on Facebook.

"What starts as catcalling, wolf-whistling or unwanted comments is often dismissed as harmless, but this can escalate, leaving women and girls feeling intimidated, unsafe and unable to enjoy public spaces without fear."

John Campion added that the women in the original video had read the comments left by members of the public.

"This is exactly why initiatives like Jog On matter," he said.

Speaking to BBC Hereford & Worcester, Campion said the comments had made him "want to hold [his] head in [his] hands".

"It's the outright misogyny," he said. "It's quite extraordinary. These aren't bots, these are people with their name and their face proudly saying some of these things.

"These are people that just want to go out for a jog, women enjoying society as freely as they should do."

Campion continued: "It's 2026, you should be able to go about your business without someone interfering with how you live your life.

"This is just one element of saying the police won't put up with it."

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