Campaign targets women's fears over night-time running

Running groups are hoping a campaign to make running safer for women after dark can change attitudes.

Let's Lift the Curfew, which was set up by Sport England, is timed to coincide with the clocks going back. It said its own research suggests 55% of women feel unsafe exercising outdoors alone after dark.

Kate Bentham, from the Shropshire Shufflers running group, said: "It really is about making sure the whole community are aware of some of the problems that women face when they are out, just trying to go for a simple run."

Sarah Knight, a run leader with the Pontesbury Runners, said: "It is difficult because you don't necessarily feel safe on your own running in the dark."

Let's Lift the Curfew encourages women to get involved in organised runs or walks this week to raise awareness of the issues facing women.

Kate Peers, from This Girl Can, a campaign group set up by Sport England, said: "Women are more than three times as likely as men to stop exercising outdoors entirely after dark and that just shouldn't be the case.

"Women shouldn't have to change where, when, or how we get active because we feel unsafe after dark."

Bentham said: "We have heard from our members about how they do change their behaviour during the darker evenings.

"Many of them change routes, avoid certain areas and some do decide not to run after dark."

She also said that while Shropshire "might be seen as a safe and friendly place to live," fears of sexual harassment and intimidation were not limited to cities.

Bentham hoped more women would be encouraged to join running groups and said the campaign was about "making sure the whole community are aware of some of the problems that women face when they are out, just trying to go for a simple run".

Knight runs with her dog to "feel a little bit safer" and said: "I've been beeped at before by people going past in vans and things."

She also said she had heard from other women in the area who had been made to feel "quite unsafe" by men.

"You might think it's just a bit of fun, but actually if you're on the receiving end of that you can feel quite unsafe," she added.

Knight said her advice to women was to join a running group and that it was important to keep running during the winter for mental health and wellbeing.

"Joining a running club and having the friendships, the company and people to run with, it's a great thing to do."

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