South Wales police have ‘no plans’ to make cat-calling a hate crime

Only one force in the UK recognises misogyny as a hate crime


South Wales police have confirmed to The Tab that they have “no plans” to reclassify misogyny as a hate crime.

Last week, Nottinghamshire Police have became the first authority in the country to recognise misogyny as a hate crime. They are now recording incidents such as wolf whistling, street harassment, verbal abuse and taking photographs without consent under the same crime used to punish racists.

A spokesperson from South Wales police told The Tab: “I can confirm that there are currently no plans for South Wales Police to follow suit.

“We encourage all victims, including women, to report incidents of hate crime of any nature to us so that they can receive the appropriate support.”

In May of last year, over 16,000 women from across 22 countries were surveyed by anti-street harassment group Hollaback! A shocking 90% of the British women who were surveyed claimed their first experience of harassment occurred before the age of just 17.

After the recent news surrounding the Cathays area where four sexual assaults  attacks allegedly occurred in the space of just eight months, a spokesperson for South Wales police told The Tab that neighbourhood officers were carrying out extra patrols in order to reassure residents.