This week, Sport England’s #ThisGirlCan movement released new figures revealing how UK women feel about exercising outdoors in the winter months.
To coincide with the clocks turning back last week, the data revealed that nearly three-quarters (72%) of women surveyed change their outdoor activity routines during winter. This reflects an increase of 26% compared to a similar study conducted last year, which found that only 46% of women changed their outdoor activity during darker months.
Furthermore, one in four (24%) always take well-lit routes, 23% avoid certain areas altogether and one in five glance behind them to ensure they aren’t followed.
In a statement for #ThisGirlCan, their director of marketing Kate Dale called violence against women and girls ‘an epidemic’ and that the latest research suggests safety fears have worsened over the past year.
Last year, #ThisGirlCan launched its new campaign on 31st October, Let’s lift the curfew, in response to its 2023 findings. It consisted of a discussion in parliament and a 5km run past London landmarks, with a mobile digital screen displaying quotes from women about how they feel exercising in the dark.
Whilst this is a national, Dale emphasized the unique challenges for Londoners.
“Like in any city, in London, it’s very much that case that it can be one road which feels fine, then you take a turning or turn left, and suddenly it feels very different.’
Dale highlighted that whilst London can less isolated, perceptions of safety can very massively from street to street.
Exactly one year on from the launch of the campaign aimed at addressing female safety running at night, Dale noted the 26% increase in the number of women changing their outdoor activity routines in winter months.
‘As a society, we are talking about it so much more, which means that we might all be more fearful. It doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s more examples of it, but it means that we are starting to recognize that we should be reporting it, we should be calling it out, that we should actually be saying this isn’t on’
Whilst women are speaking up about more, many female Londoners have to turned to run clubs for community and security. Whilst these have swept across the capital and spared in popularity over the last year, they also provide a vital safe environment for women.
One such initiative is Boldli, a new south-east based run club launched by Team GB runner Rose Harvey on October 30. Harvey created it aiming to create a place for women to ‘run safely and confidently together’.
‘Running is such a big part of our lives’ Harvey remarked, ‘But recently, we’re just hearing about more and more people who aren’t going out running because they don’t feel safe. That was where Boldli started – we want to make running safer’.
As winter deepens, #ThisGirlCan and both existing and new run clubs like Boldli remain committed to empowering women to reclaim their right to exercise without fear.
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Standfirst
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HeadlineRun clubs addressing growth in UK female safety concerns
Short Headline Beyond the Curfew: How run clubs are filling the gap in female exercise safety
StandfirstFemale run clubs in London are helping women feel safer as the darker nights creep in.
This week, Sport England’s #ThisGirlCan movement released new figures revealing how UK women feel about exercising outdoors in the winter months.
To coincide with the clocks turning back last week, the data revealed that nearly three-quarters (72%) of women surveyed change their outdoor activity routines during winter. This reflects an increase of 26% compared to a similar study conducted last year, which found that only 46% of women changed their outdoor activity during darker months.
Furthermore, one in four (24%) always take well-lit routes, 23% avoid certain areas altogether and one in five glance behind them to ensure they aren’t followed.
In a statement for #ThisGirlCan, their director of marketing Kate Dale called violence against women and girls ‘an epidemic’ and that the latest research suggests safety fears have worsened over the past year.
Last year, #ThisGirlCan launched its new campaign on 31st October, Let’s lift the curfew, in response to its 2023 findings. It consisted of a discussion in parliament and a 5km run past London landmarks, with a mobile digital screen displaying quotes from women about how they feel exercising in the dark.
Whilst this is a national, Dale emphasized the unique challenges for Londoners.
“Like in any city, in London, it’s very much that case that it can be one road which feels fine, then you take a turning or turn left, and suddenly it feels very different.’
Dale highlighted that whilst London can less isolated, perceptions of safety can very massively from street to street.
Exactly one year on from the launch of the campaign aimed at addressing female safety running at night, Dale noted the 26% increase in the number of women changing their outdoor activity routines in winter months.
‘As a society, we are talking about it so much more, which means that we might all be more fearful. It doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s more examples of it, but it means that we are starting to recognize that we should be reporting it, we should be calling it out, that we should actually be saying this isn’t on’
Whilst women are speaking up about more, many female Londoners have to turned to run clubs for community and security. Whilst these have swept across the capital and spared in popularity over the last year, they also provide a vital safe environment for women.
One such initiative is Boldli, a new south-east based run club launched by Team GB runner Rose Harvey on October 30. Harvey created it aiming to create a place for women to ‘run safely and confidently together’.
‘Running is such a big part of our lives’ Harvey remarked, ‘But recently, we’re just hearing about more and more people who aren’t going out running because they don’t feel safe. That was where Boldli started – we want to make running safer’.
As winter deepens, #ThisGirlCan and both existing and new run clubs like Boldli remain committed to empowering women to reclaim their right to exercise without fear.
