Sign up to the GrimsbyLive newsletter for daily updates and breaking news Sign up here! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Social media users have expressed their dismay over calls by Grimsby’s MP for wolf-whistling and catcalling a woman to be recorded as hate crimes.

Great Grimsby MP Melanie Onn will use a debate today in Parliament to call for misogyny to be taken more seriously by police forces across the UK.

She told the Telegraph that recording acts such as wolf-whistling, catcalling, physical intimidation in public places and gender-based online abuse as hate crimes could make women feel more confident about tackling such incidents.

“These things might be considered ‘banter’ or flirtatious but, if they are received as unwelcome in the way it is delivered, then it can be tantamount to harassment, even in a one-off case,” said Ms Onn.

But the Labour frontbencher’s comments, which were later picked up by The Sun and The Guardian newspapers and also debated on BBC Radio Humberside, have outraged some people who have taken to social media to express their annoyance.

Thomas Evans, who described himself as a “political blogger” on Twitter, said: “We wonder why "hate crimes" are on the rise when every single thing is being labelled as such.

“Much like falsely accusing people of racism for concerns over mass migration, it is blunting the real meanings of the word.”

Patrick Moore, replying to Mr Evans’ above tweet, said: “Perhaps I’m the one out of touch. When I wolf-whistled (okay, a fair few years ago) I did it, as the woman I was looking at was very attractive, a sign of appreciation if you like, but definitely not hate.”

Jason Stevens-Read said wolf-whistling should “stop” but did not think it amounted to a hate crime.

“No, not at all!” he said, replying to a tweet from Radio Humberside presenter David Burns asking if wolf-whistling should be looked into by the police.

“A wolf whistle is meant as a compliment, albeit, an outdated and unwanted compliment. It is not a hate crime, but needs to stop,” he said.

Mr Stevens-Read added: “Being beaten up for being gay, [is a] hate crime. Attacked because of religious belief – hate crime. Because of race – hate crime. [But] not a whistle.”

(Image: Richard Addison)

David Sterling said Ms Onn’s example of Nottingham Police’s pilot, where it adapted the practice of recording misogynistic acts as hate crimes, had not worked.

“Melanie Onn wants to go to Nottingham – it’s only just down the road – where the police spend so much time running after wolf-whistling they don't have time to respond to violence or shootings,” he tweeted.

But there was support for the town MP’s proposals online, especially from women. A number of MPs are also expected to back her during tomorrow morning’s debate.

Ann Sinnott, a Labour councillor in Cambridge, said: “Thank you Melanie Onn for your bold initiative!

“Maybe now other police forces will listen and follow the fine example set by Nottingham Police and make misogyny the hate crime it deserves to be!”

Ms Onn was undeterred by the critics arguing that women should be free from “unwanted harassment”.

The shadow housing minister, in a sardonic reply to criticisms on social media, said: “Obviously we’re all humourless, barren, spinster types that want to suck all the fun out of life and punish the beautiful people.

“Or, we just want respect and dignity without interference from unwanted harassment.”

The Fawcett Society, a charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights in the UK, have backed Ms Onn's campaign,

In a briefing report, the society said treating misogyny as hate crimes would "make it more likely that women’s experiences of everyday sexual harassment will be taken seriously".