Please note: This article is not about cats.
Imagine this...
It’s late at night and you are walking home on a poorly lit street. You are alone. No one else around. You are not scared, but maybe a little on edge.
At the corner there is a shop. A group of men walk out. They are big and stick together. One of them says, “hey gorgeous, where are you going?”
Your body reacts pretty much instantly. Your adrenaline spikes, your body releases cortisol, and you become hypervigilant. Then comes the feeling of being objectified. Helpless. Your anxiety rises and suddenly everyone feels less trustworthy. You ignore them and walk faster towards home. That is the best-case scenario. Because it could escalate. They might keep calling after you. “We’re nice guys, we just want to talk.” They could follow you. They could overpower you. They could rape you.
Does that sound familiar?
If you live in the UK, surveys show that between 62% and 71% of women have experienced public sexual harassment, including unwanted comments or whistling (Office for National Statistics).
This kind of harassment has long-term effects. Internalised anger, lower self-esteem, and loss of trust (to name a few). Girls and young women may stop going out or feel constantly unsafe.
Over time, this limits freedom and reinforces gender-based power imbalances.
Some men think it is a compliment. It is not. It is catcalling.
Flight, Fight, Freeze, Fawn
I wrote in the past about the fight or flight response, and included two more: freeze and fawn. Yes, because we are not basic. We are capable of so much more. And of course, understanding fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, especially in relationships, can help us recognise real consent and set clear boundaries.
Good news: catcalling is now a crime!
As of 1 April 2026, a new law targets those who harass women and girls in public because of their sex. This matters. It will not fix everything overnight, but it is a step in the right direction.
It doesn’t just deter some men, it validates victims. It sends a clear message that this behaviour is not harmless, and not acceptable.
The government has declared violence against women and girls a national emergency and is acting earlier to stop escalation. You can read more on the gov.uk website: Cracking down on sex-based harassment in public.
Happy spring everyone!
But it was written by a Tiger.
