Campaign Addresses Women’s Safety Concerns During Winter Exercise

Individuals participating in runs have gone out to highlight the safety concerns encountered by women who engage in physical activity after dark during the United Kingdom’s winter period. A night run, orchestrated by Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, took place in Manchester on Monday, with comparable events occurring throughout the UK as part of the ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’ initiative. Research conducted by the campaign revealed that 72% of women modify their habits when exercising in winter, representing a 26% increase compared to a similar survey conducted the previous year. Kate Dale, Sport England’s marketing director, stated: “Violence against women and girls is an epidemic.” Participants in the Manchester run inscribed terms such as “exposed” and “vulnerable” onto glow-in-the-dark footprints, illustrating the sensations they experienced when running unaccompanied. Ms Dale further commented: “This should be a wake-up call for everyone – women, men, allies, and all sectors – to confront the issue head-on, with urgency and action.” She also remarked: “The cat calls, the harassment, the being followed – I was out running once and got my bum slapped and I didn’t realise that was assault,” adding, “You end up taking it for granted that this happens.“We kind of self-censor ourselves, out of opportunities to be active.”” The This Girl Can initiative has advocated for increased cultural awareness and the creation of more secure public environments, specifically designed with the safety of women in consideration. Eve Holt, representing the charity Greater Manchester Moving, observed: “How nice it is when you do go out as a group and you feel safe and realise that you’re not holding yourself, you’re not on guard and you are not on alert, and you are just free to enjoy it.”