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The Running Pandemic vs Women’s safety: why is it so overlooked?
- Lippy
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Amongst our generation, it is undeniable that running and fitness have erupted in
popularity both on social media and in everyday life. We see it everywhere. From 5ks
and Kudos to running clubs and the newest Hokas. As a 21-year-old woman,
running is a part of my weekly routine and lifestyle, helping with both physical and
mental health. Yet, I would run out of fingers to count the number of times that a car
has aggressively beeped, a group of scaffolders have shouted, or a slur has been
slung towards myself and the women in my life.
Sport England found that while there were 349,000 more runners in England in 2024
compared to 2023, that rise was almost entirely fuelled by women. So, this female-
led increase shines a spotlight onto a topic rarely discussed: who gets to run
safely?
Whilst social media presents running as an accessible, liberating hobby, statistics
and women’s experiences tell a different story. Adidas comments that 92% of female
runners have concerns about their safety when they go for a run. Recent research
reveals that 68% of women experience abuse when they are out running, but only
5% report it. I remember having a conversation with my mum, dad and brother about
this, explaining that being beeped at by van drivers is a common feature of my runs.
My dad and brother were horrified, not understanding why men would do that to a
young woman doing something that society encourages and praises. As a woman,
my mum wasn’t surprised considering she has been subject to this all her life. My
dad and brother have never had to plan their workout around lighting, clothing, and
escape routes like women must.
A common problem that Leeds students face is the issue of safety in Woodhouse
Moor, widely known as Hyde Park. The 27-hectare park dominates the route
between university campus and most student housing, but it is completely unsafe
after dark to either walk or run through. It is common to see runners circling the
park’s exterior, but its lack of streetlights makes it risky to walk through as early as
3:30 in the winter. This lack of streetlights is a definite cause for concern. The idea of
installing them has been rejected in the past over the fear that lights would
encourage people to walk through it after dark and illuminate their movements. But I
certainly still see and know of people walking and running round the park when it's
dark. Considering the three recent sexual assaults that occurred there in October
2025, surely installing better safety measures within Hyde Park should be a priority?
Emily, a second-year student living in the Hyde Park area shared her experience
running, in daylight, by the park. ‘A man came up to me and said, “I’m gonna chase
you” and started chasing me. He didn’t touch me, but it was scary and really put me
off running in the park”. Likewise, Josie admitted that ‘countless catcalls from running
in woodhouse are a common part’ of her runs. If this happens to Leeds students in
broad daylight, one can only imagine the risks that night brings…. For busy female
students, running or walking at the end of the day is an activity for their mental and
physical wellbeing, an activity that becomes feared. Similarly, one of my friends
admitted to completely avoiding doing exercise outside because of her fears around
the harassment and comments that come from men. Why should we have to avoid
doing something when those we fear continue unchecked?
It is experiences like these that cannot go unnoticed and must be called out. 2023
saw the devastating murder of 23-year-old Ashling Murphy, out for a run in Ireland at
4pm along a popular canal route. However, this is a global issue. In 2024, 22-year-
old nursing student Laken Hope Riley was attacked and killed on her University
Campus in Georgia, USA. She left for her run at 9am. She took her phone with her.
She even told her mum her whereabouts. Laken took all the safety precautions that
us as women must take, and she was still brutally murdered. Ashling and Laken
were both attacked when they were running in broad daylight. So, whilst social
media glamorises morning exercise routines, in reality, women, including us female
students, are at risk of horrific cases of male violence. If a man has the pride to
shout, whistle, and harass women exercising, what more could he do?
Whether you run, walk, or go to the gym, this kind of harassment is a common
problem everywhere, at any time of day. It has become a normalised example of
harassment- culture that often leads to more serious crimes. The State of Girls
Rights Act of 2024 reported that a horrifying 93% of girls and young women said they
do not feel completely safe in public places. Not that we should have to, but I would
recommend all women who walk, ride, or run alone to download ROAD iD. This is an
app that contains accident sensing, location sharing for up to 5 people who don’t
have the app, and an SOS button. I have shared a link to the app below with a hope
that this article can raise awareness into the overlooked truth of women’s safety
across Leeds and the globe.
Words by Mimi Gould, she/her
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