Cat-calls and wolf-whistles in the street to be met with £1,000 fines

Cat-calls and wolf-whistles could be met with £1,000 fines under a new east London council scheme to protect women and girls.

Sexual harassment has been added to a list of prohibited behaviours under Public Space Protection Orders in Barking and Dagenham following a consultation of hundreds of residents.

The council found that 15 per cent of women had been targeted with verbal abuse, with more than one in ten reporting that they had been followed or that men had invaded their space.

A further 10 per cent had been cat-called, The Standard reports. 

The behaviour could find offenders slapped with a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice or a fine of up to £1,000.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: 'PSPOs play a huge role in reducing antisocial behaviour in our hotspot areas. And as part of the renewal, we know how important it was to include sexual harassment to help improve women's safety.

'I'd like to thank all the residents who took part in the consultation and supporting the renewal of the scheme and I hope you continue to see a difference.'

The rules also ban people using speakers in the town centre, alongside drinking alcohol in public and urinating in the street.

Spitting, begging and 'causing harassment, alarm or distress' could also face fines under the scheme.

Superintendent David Rhodes for Barking and Dagenham added: The PSPO provides our officers with another tool at their disposal to challenge anti-social behaviour, including sexual harassment in public spaces.

'Community crime fighting is how we cut crime, rebuild trust and restore our bond with communities. Anti-social behaviour in our community is not acceptable and we are committed to doing more to tackle it in all its forms and challenge perpetrators of sexual harassment.

'By working together with Barking and Dagenham Council, this PSPO will help tackle the behaviour and make our neighbourhoods safer.'