A supply teacher in Cardiff has taken revenge on a catcaller by reporting his untaxed van to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), potentially landing him with a fine of up to £1,000. Aneesa Dawn, 25, was waiting to cross a busy road with her younger sister when a white van driver repeatedly sounded his horn at them.
Incident Details
Initially believing the horn was due to a traffic issue, Aneesa soon realised the driver was targeting her and her sister. The man wound down his window, leaned out, and shouted: "Hi love, I've been beeping at you, you sausage." Despite feeling upset and embarrassed, Aneesa pulled out her phone and began filming the incident as evidence.
The beeping lasted for several minutes, and when the driver noticed he was being filmed, he opened his side door and began yelling. Aneesa described the experience as frightening and humiliating, noting that it occurred in broad daylight with pedestrians around. She said: "They just did not care what anyone thought; they just wanted to intimidate and humiliate us."
Taking Action
After the incident, Aneesa ran the van's number plate through an online checker to see if the vehicle was correctly taxed. Discovering it was untaxed, she immediately reported it to the DVLA. She also filed a police report with South Wales Police, as street harassment based on a person's sex is a criminal offence in the UK.
Aneesa posted a video of the incident and screenshots of her report to TikTok and Instagram, captioning it: "Got harassed in Cardiff but karma had my back." The clip has garnered over ten million views on Instagram and nearly one million on TikTok. She hoped the video would help identify the perpetrators and raise awareness about catcalling.
Public Response
The video drew an overwhelming response from women sharing similar experiences, but also abusive comments that left Aneesa fearful of walking around Cardiff. She said: "I was scared of walking around Cardiff in case he spotted me again. Even though I had video proof, I started questioning myself — it's the exact reason why women don't seek help in these situations."
Aneesa noted that discovering the men were operating an untaxed vehicle was "the cherry on the top" of a profoundly upsetting experience. According to the DVLA, operating an untaxed vehicle on a public road can lead to a £30 fine plus one and a half times the outstanding vehicle tax, and if unpaid, could result in a £1,000 fine.
Police Statement
South Wales Police stated: "Everyone deserves to be and feel safe and enjoy our public spaces, fear free. Catcalling is now a specific criminal offence, and it is up to individuals to reflect on and address their own behaviours or they do face being prosecuted." They urged anyone experiencing harassment to report it to the police.
The DVLA confirmed it could not comment on individual cases, but its online checker showed the van in question remains untaxed.
