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Should catcalling be a crime? | LBC debate
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Aug 15, 2025
Ben Kentish speaks to two callers who disagree on catcalling, following an exclusive LBC report on a new Surrey Police operation targeting street harassment. The initiative saw female officers running through known hotspots while specialist units stood by to respond, and resulting in multiple arrests. In this discussion, Michael from Haydock argues that catcalling is harmless, while Paul from Cambridge says it is unacceptable and distressing for women. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #benkentish #streetharassment #catcalling #womensafety #runningsafety #lbc #uknews #ukpolice #uknews LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
How big an issue is it for women and why are so many men doing it
0:05
Michael's in Haydock tonight. Michael, evening. Yeah, good evening. I'm a little bit gobsmacked about what you're talking about
0:14
When did it start? It's gone on for hundreds of years. It's nothing new. My wife regularly goes into Liverpool shopping
0:23
and when she gets back, she'll tell me how many men have whistled at her
0:30
and called her, hello, darling, give us a kiss. And she takes it as a compliment
0:37
Just because somebody on a building site or a fire station calls out to a woman
0:44
you know, hello, gorgeous, doesn't mean they're going to rape them or do any harm to them
0:48
I think people in this country want to get a grip. were turning into a nanny state
0:55
And what I can't believe is that the police are going to investigate it
0:59
But when you get the shopkeeper who gets the gang come in
1:03
robbing all his shells, they don't respond. So you think that someone
1:08
nicking a six-pack of beer is more important than women feeling safe on the streets, Michael
1:14
There's no reason they should be safe on the street. They don't feel safe on the streets
1:20
because every time they go out for a run, some bloke interrupts them and starts heckling them
1:25
and shouting things at them. They don't feel safe. So why is it..
1:29
Just ignore it. Why is it a weight war? The shopkeeper can just ignore the shoplifting, can't he
1:33
Just ignore it. Just ignore it. If someone burgles your house, just ignore it. Michael, don't be ridiculous
1:40
I'm not being ridiculous. You are being completely ridiculous. You are being patronising and you are being condescending
1:45
because you are telling millions of women who are trying to tell us that they find it intimidating
1:51
they find it offensive and they find it distressing, that they're all wrong and, in your phrase, should get a grip
1:58
Well, it's gone on for hundreds of years. Yeah, so is rape. Yeah, I would take, personally, if I was a woman
2:06
I would take it as a compliment. But you're not a woman, Michael, are you? And it's never happened to you, has it
2:11
So the fact that most women... Unfortunately, no one's ever called out to me, no
2:15
But if a woman called out to me, hello, gorgeous, I would suggest she gets her eyes tested
2:20
but take it in the spirit It not a threat But they disagree Michael So on the one hand you got Michael in Haydock On the other you got thousands if not millions of women saying they find it threatening
2:35
Is it not worth just pausing for 10 seconds and listening and paying attention to why they find it threatening
2:42
Well, if they find it threatening and there's nothing I can do about it, I personally don't think..
2:47
But there is, isn't there? Because you could sympathise with them and you could take seriously their fear
2:51
rather than calling me to just dismiss it and say it's a waste of police time
2:55
If a man was going to attack a woman, he wouldn't be calling out to her
3:01
It's not just about physical attack. It's about the intimidation and the intrusion of not being able to put your headphones in
3:11
go for a half an hour jog with some bloke thinking he's got the right to invade your personal space and your privacy
3:17
That's what it's about. It's just calling out to her, that's all. Have you ever done it, Michael
3:23
Of course I haven't ever done it. Right, so you do think there's something wrong with it
3:26
or presumably you would have done it. No, no, just because I haven't done it
3:30
Right, so you would do it. You would do it. No, I wouldn't do it
3:34
Why not? If you'd let me finish, I'd be embarrassed to do it. Why? I would be embarrassed
3:39
Why? I just wouldn't do it. It's not me. But if there's nothing wrong with it in your view
3:45
then why would you be embarrassed to do it? I'm not saying there's nothing wrong in it
3:49
Just ignore it. You are. You just tell women they should just ignore it and it's not a big deal. We're turning into a nanny state and what I can't understand
3:59
our overstretched police force are responding to it. Haven't we got... Because you think that trying to make women feel safe in their neighbourhoods
4:07
is a waste of police time? No, I don't feel... You do. You do
4:11
That's exactly what you're telling me, Michael. If we had more police on the street, perhaps they'd be reassured
4:17
You'd rather they prioritise the shoplifting over the women feeling safe to go out their houses
4:22
Of course not. That's literally what you said to me. No, it isn't
4:27
What I said was, first of all, they should take it as a compliment
4:30
and just ignore it. When shops are being robbed, they shouldn't be focusing on making women feel safe from men
4:36
No, I never said that. If you will allow me to speak, I will say to him
4:44
if you don't agree with me, fine. let me pause you if I could I won speak let me bring in Paul in Cambridge who got a slightly different view on this for I think Paul hi Hi I think the other chap is totally disgusting If he thinks there nothing wrong with that
5:03
I have got a 21-year-old granddaughter, a 15-year-old granddaughter, and a 4-year-old granddaughter
5:10
If anybody ever did any of that to my teenage granddaughter or my 21-year-old granddaughter, I'd go berserk
5:16
It's disgusting. think why what you think what about the point that he said um women need to just not take it so
5:24
seriously how would he like it if a bloke walked up behind him wolf whistled him started making
5:32
advances to him would he like it well we're trying to get i think he's hung up on us paul i was hoping
5:38
to put what you'd said to him um to him we'll see if we can get him slightly back i think he's he's
5:43
cut off. I think he's afraid to be confronted by another caller
5:48
Well, he might be. He might be. But I've got to say, Paul, a depressing number of people are getting in touch to say
5:53
they agree with him. Then there is something seriously wrong with him
6:00
How would they feel if it was a member of their own family and they come home distressed because of
6:05
that? It's ridiculous. Why? Go on. Keep going. Let's see if I'm going to get Michael back to respond
6:11
to it. Basically, Women have got the same rights to walk the street as men have
6:17
with that fear of intimidation or being put at a state of alertness
6:25
because they're afraid. I think we've got Michael back. Michael, I don't know how much you heard of that
6:31
Paul was saying he thinks, in his word, your view on this is disgusting. No, it's entitled to what I'm saying
6:38
and if he would allow me to speak and not say things that I haven't said
6:42
Go on, go on, speak to Michael. Please speak to Paul, sorry. Well, I'll speak to everyone
6:47
This has gone on for hundreds of years. It's nothing new. We're turning into a nanny state
6:54
Now, what I actually said about the police, the police have said
7:00
if you get a shopkeeper, you're saying let him take his stock. This is the man's living
7:05
And they just come in. You've seen the videos where they come in mobbing
7:09
I don't want to... But that's a totally different subject, what you're going on about
7:14
What the subject tonight about is women and young girls feeling safe in the street You say it going on for hundreds of years Yeah because of big of men who think they can get away with it and it friendly banter it not friendly banter i don know
7:33
if you heard i've got a young i've got three young granddaughters now if everybody did that to them
7:39
i made them feel on it ease because you cannot turn around and say for women to take it as banter
7:46
but it's not because I've heard what goes on. I've seen it with my own eyes
7:51
That's not banter. That is bordering on sexual assault. Well, then you report that to the police
8:00
Exactly, and that's why the police are doing what they're doing because of it. Women should not be made to feel at unease
8:07
to walk down the street or afraid to walk down the street. What I said before
8:12
my wife regularly goes into Liverpool shopping. And I would like you to come on and say that
8:18
because I bet you won't. She's not here at the moment. She's out of the country
8:22
That's what she will say. She takes it as a compliment. She comes back and she tells me
8:27
someone shout, give us a kiss, darling. Most sexist men do say that
8:33
Pardon? I'm sorry, most sexist men will say that. I'm not sexist
8:39
You sound very sexist. We are, well, I don't need to be, and I'm not
8:44
we are turning into a nanny state. Paul? I'm sorry, but you really need to go
8:51
and have a good look at yourself in the mirror, mate, because the way you think is not what proper men think
8:58
Michael? Well, you're entitled to your opinion. I disagree with you completely
9:04
I've never called out to a woman. I'm not interested in calling out to a woman
9:09
Yeah, but you allow another person to do it and make a woman feel on it. Well, my wife takes it as a compliment
9:15
But it doesn't mean other women do, Michael. Well, it's exactly, this isn't a new problem
9:22
This has gone on for hundreds of years, probably longer than that
9:26
Paul, final word. I'm sorry, Michael, you really need to go and speak to somebody about this
9:33
because you have a serious problem. That's a bit harsh, Paul, maybe
9:37
but I think we've got most women feeling this distress. I'm pleased that your wife doesn't, Michael
9:43
but I don't think we can extrapolate from her experience and say nobody else should
9:47
Thank you both, Michael and Haydock, Paul in Cambridge, wrapping up our conversations
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