Surrey Police has launched a new campaign that simply shouldn't be necessary. Their Jog On operation was successfully trialled last month in Reigate and Banstead by Divisional Commander, Inspector Jon Vale, and it has since been rolled out forcewide as part of a wider commitment to tackling public space violence against women and girls, mainly within the nighttime economy.

The unusual tactics in the Jog On campaign involve volunteer female police officers running in key locations in normal running gear. If they are subject to harassment, such as catcalling or sexually suggestive comments, uniformed support crews nearby assist the running police officers and deal with the perpetrators. Within a month, the operation has resulted in 18 arrests and many verbal warnings issued for anti-social behaviour.

It's a sad reflection on society, in particular on males, that so many women have experienced verbal or physical harassment while exercising in public places. A study by This Girl Can last year found that nearly three-quarters of women altered their running routes and activities in the winter, and almost a quarter stuck to well-lit routes or avoided certain areas completely.

A 2023 survey by Adidas, involving 9,000 female runners across nine countries, found that over 90% felt concerned about their safety while running, and over a third of women have experienced physical or verbal harassment on the run. Sadly, the data also showed that 46% of women had reported a loss of interest in running.

The same survey also questioned male attitudes and reported that while more than 60% of men recognised the issue, less than 20% felt it was men's responsibility to help women feel safer when running. The Jog On campaign hopes to turn around these worrying statistics.

LBC journalists were invited to witness Surrey Police's Jog On operation two weeks ago. Within 10 minutes, two different drivers targeted the female police runner by beeping the horn and making gestures.

Inspector Vale told LBC reporters the operation is acting as a deterrent and as a method of early intervention, stating: “This is about protecting women and girls in public spaces, and we want them to know we’re out here, and we’re taking it seriously.”

PC Abby Hayward, one of the undercover officers involved, said: “The rise in violence against women and girls is real. We’re talking about women being spat at, stalked, harassed while they’re just out on a run – it's just horrendous. I’m proud to be part of this. It’s long overdue, and it’s making a difference.”

Gents – the ball is in your court. Curb your anti-social behaviour and just Jog On...

Photo by Fitsum Admasu on Unsplash