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A 25-year-old woman named Aneesa experienced persistent catcalling from two men while waiting to cross a busy road in Cardiff. Initially misunderstanding the van driver’s repeated horn beeps as a reaction to traffic, she soon realized that the noise was directed aggressively at her and her younger sister. The prolonged harassment, which lasted several minutes, left Aneesa feeling frightened and bewildered. Despite this, she took the initiative to record the incident on her phone and later shared the footage on social media.
Aneesa, originally from Canada, was accompanied by her 23-year-old sister, who was visiting Cardiff at the time. The duration and intensity of the encounter, combined with her protective instinct toward her sister, prompted her to document the aggressive behavior. During the incident, the driver even opened the van door and shouted at them. Aneesa explained, “Usually you leave a situation after being catcalled kind of down. But this time it felt like there was some kind of accountability.” Additionally, after discovering that the men were driving an untaxed vehicle, she reported the van to the DVLA, adding another layer of consequence to the situation.
In the UK, street harassment based on sex is a criminal offence, with laws making such behavior punishable by up to two years in prison. Nevertheless, catcalling remains a widespread problem. A 2022 survey found that over a third of women aged 16 to 34 had been subjected to catcalling within the previous year. Charities like ActionAid emphasize that such harassment restricts women’s freedom and opportunity, while Welsh Women’s Aid calls for urgent and sustained changes in cultural attitudes toward sexual harassment. However, a 2025 survey revealed that a significant proportion of men in Wales do not recognize catcalling as harmful, underscoring the challenges that remain in addressing this issue.
South Wales Police have stressed the importance of feeling safe in public spaces and reminded the public that catcalling is now a specific offence. They encouraged victims of harassment to come forward and report incidents so that action can be taken against perpetrators. Meanwhile, the DVLA confirmed via an online check that the van involved in Aneesa’s case was untaxed but declined to comment on individual cases. Aneesa’s experience and subsequent actions have sparked conversations about the prevalence of street harassment and the need for greater accountability
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