Cat-calling and wolf-whistling could soon become a hate crime in Britain after the Law Commission announced it will review acts of misogyny.

Labour MP Stella Creasy has been leading a campaign calling for verbal abuse of women to be punishable in the same way as religious hate crimes.

This will include so-called cat-calling which means whistling at or yelling at a person in a 'sexually suggestive' manner.

The move was announced during a parliamentary debate on upskirting - and whether or not that should be a criminal offence.

Speaking in Parliament on changes to the Voyeurism (Offences) Bill on Wednesday Ms Creasy called for a full review - which was later granted.

Stella Creasy is calling for the end of misogyny and has secured a legal review through campaigning

The Upskirting draft which has Theresa May's backing, will allow judges to jail upskirting offenders for up to two years.

Announcing the news on Twitter Ms Creasy said: 'Government agrees to fund a law commission review into all hate crime including misogyny and look at new and existing offences - finally we are sending a message misogyny isn’t just a part of life we put up with but something men and women together commit to tackling. Thank you to everyone who helped us make the case to their MP!'

The full review will probe whether or not misogyny, which is defined as the 'ingrained prejudice against women' should become a hate crime. Currently, some serious misogynistic acts can be punished under other categories such as intimidation or harassment.

Ms Creasy said: 'This isn’t about creating new crimes but recognising as we do with racial and religious hatred when someone is being targeted because of who they are and saying it’s not for them to cope with it, but us all to stop it.'

The Walthamstow MP has previously called for an extension of a pilot project by Nottinghamshire Police, which has been recording misogynistic behaviour as either hate crime or hate incidents

Posting on Instagram, Ms Creasy said that MPs voting on the Bill had 'a chance to help make sure everyone is free to walk our streets without fear of harassment'

Miss Creasy, who was previously threatened with rape and violence on social media, said women are often made to feel as though their actions lead to attacks.

She said: 'Crimes like upskirting don't happen in a vacuum.

'They happen in a world where we don't see violence against women as a priority for action; where we tell young women to not walk around late at night as a way of staying safe, rather than those who hassle them that their behaviour is unacceptable.'

Ms Creasy has campaigned to end 'cat-calling' in her constituency over women being harassed in the street by men.

Conservative MP Christopher Chope single-handedly blocked the Bill when he intervened at an earlier stage in the Commons, prompting widespread criticism

Conservative MP Christopher Chope single-handedly blocked the Upskirting Bill when he intervened at an earlier stage in the Commons, prompting widespread criticism.

The Tory grandee said he was acting on a long-held principle that has seen him routinely oppose backbench private members' bills - based on the way the bill was presented - and not its content.

Miss Creasy's campaign has not been welcomed by all, with some claiming the MP has ignored the way men are treated.

Fathers4Justice said: 'We have to STOP fanatical feminists like Stella Creasy DEMONISING men while turning a BLIND-EYE to misandry & the REAL abuse of children and fathers in secret family courts.'

However, her supporters have praised her for attempting to end appalling behaviour.

Iain Grant told on Twitter how he has been a victim.

He said: 'Why do people think this behaviour is okay?? I had long hair as a teenager and I got catcalled by a load of men in a car as I walked home from school - in my school uniform, so I was clearly under 16! It was frightening, embarrassing and horrible!'

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said of Ms Creasy's amendment: 'We already have robust legislation that can be used to protect women from a range of crimes.

'We are determined to see the upskirting bill passed as soon as possible, to better protect victims and bring offenders to justice.'