Councillor condemns 'unacceptable' cat calling after suffering sexual harassment at bus stop

Coun Jo Farrell told a meeting of the full council she had recently been standing at a bus stop when the male passenger in a passing car shouted abuse at her.

She said the cat calling incident, which included sexually suggestive language, had left her feeling shocked and angry, and had fuelled her determination to bring about zero tolerance for such behaviour.

Coun Farrell, cabinet member for levelling up: people, said: “At first I felt shocked and asked myself has that really just happened?

“And then I was consumed by absolute rage. What actually goes through a man’s head to think this is acceptable?

“It took me several hours to calm down and I certainly wasn’t OK.”

The incident happened while Coun Farrell was at a bus stop in Bispham several weeks ago, on her way to attend an event.

Coun Farrell said: “As a woman, I am sick and tired of this happening to me. I have been experiencing this kind of behaviour since I was a young teenager – that’s 40 years that I have had to put up with being cat called.

“I am calling my recent experience of sexual harassment out tonight at full council to highlight that women and young girls are experiencing this kind of behaviour every day and it needs to stop.”

In her report to the council, she said ensuring people felt safe was a key priority in levelling up Blackpool, with the focus on campaigns including #itstopshere, White Ribbon which raises awareness of domestic abuse, and the Green Dot campaign which urges people to intervene safely if they see harassment.

The report says: “Respect for women and the freedom of everyone walking around our town should feel from the tyranny of harassment from others for any reason, concerns us all.

“People should feel safe travelling to and from work and education; using public transport and enjoying all the excellent entertainment, day and night, that the town has to offer.”