A NEW campaign to make females feel safer in Bradford aims to take action against people who harass runners and joggers.

Undercover police officers jogging in harassment hotspots could hand out out fines to people who make sexually suggestive comments.

Called JogOn, the campaign comes after many runners said they felt intimidated in certain areas of the district.

It will encourage those who suffer from unwanted harassment to report the behaviour, as well as teach people the best way to intervene if they witness women being harassed.

Those behind the campaign say many women who go running in the city consider harassment to be “the norm".

The Safer Bradford partnership, which includes Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police and the NHS, hopes the campaign will make perpetrators realise their behaviour is not “harmless banter".

Women left feeling scared and intimidated 

A national survey by Runner’s World magazine recently found that 60 per cent of female runners experience some form of harassment, particularly from men in cars.

The Bradford partnership says the problem leaves many women feeling scared and intimidated, looking for alternative running routes or changing the times they go out to avoid catcalling, offensive comments and, occasionally, physical harassment.

Bradford’s Neighbourhood Policing Team has visited park runs and running clubs to get the local picture and found that harassment is a widespread concern. 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.

The JogOn campaign will encourage victims and witnesses to report incidents and ensure that there are consequences for unacceptable behaviour.

What action can be taken?

The Police have previously carried out enforcement action sessions across the district by sending female officers out in plain clothes to run in ‘hotspot’ areas. This led to more than 20 motorists being fined late last year.

Bradford Council also has a Public Space Protection Order that 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.

Running club members are also being offered Active Bystander training, which will equip witnesses to intervene when an incident is unfolding in front of them.

'This won't be tolerated' 

Superintendent Beth Pagnillo, of Bradford District Police, said: “People might not think these behaviours are worth reporting but we want to make it clear that these behaviours and incidents can be reported, reviewed and investigated and will not be tolerated.

“With the PSPOs in Bradford, these behaviours can be reported, which could lead to a breach in PSPO, and an offence being committed.”

Anyone who suspects a breach of the PSPO can contact the council’s Safer Communities Team by emailing safer.communities@bradford.gov.uk