Harassment when running

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Feb 2021
2:28pm, 2 Feb 2021
552 posts
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faithfulred
I've just read this: theguardian.com

As a male runner, I very rarely get any heckling and never feel unsafe when running on my own. It's such a shame that this type of harassment is so common, and really sad to read things like: "Hannah Brier, a Wales and Great Britain sprinter, from Neath in south Wales, said it was ironic she was not allowed on the track for safety reasons but did not feel secure training in public. She has taken to wearing plainer and looser running kit."

What are your experiences with this? Do you do anything to try to avoid confrontation?
Feb 2021
2:30pm, 2 Feb 2021
73,042 posts
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Gobi
Im just very polite when I run
Feb 2021
2:31pm, 2 Feb 2021
38,863 posts
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♪♫ Synge ♪♫
On a related note, the Tag Team got back as far as this thread earlier this week:

fetcheveryone.com/forum/women-52173
Feb 2021
6:41pm, 2 Feb 2021
730 posts
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Cats Whiskers
Anglia TV interviewed women from my club and other local running groups about this kind of thing just before Christmas. It seems to be such a widespread problem.

I've personally experienced a variety of harassment while out running, ranging from creepy/threatening behaviour to insulting comments. The most frightening was when I was on a long run on a country lane and two men in a white van stopped on my side of the road and then swerved across in front of me when I tried to switch sides to get passed. I was seriously trying to work out whether I could make my escape across the cabbage fields!

I've also had abuse from builders and actually tried ringing their head office to make a complaint but it didn't get anywhere. I was so angry about it because it's this kind of thing that stops lots of women going out to exercise.

It hasn't stopped me going out, but it has made me change the routes I take. And I usually run with headphones to block out unwanted comments and also dark glasses (whenever possible), as I feel they hide my expression a bit, so they don't get quite so obvious a reaction.
Feb 2021
6:45pm, 2 Feb 2021
6,467 posts
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Dooogs
My wife's running partner (also female) got groped whilst running near our village about a year ago. Police came around and took a statement but tricky to identify an arsehole like that from a split-second sighting...
Feb 2021
6:49pm, 2 Feb 2021
5,696 posts
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Surrey Phil
I really can't stand manual workers or drivers who make lurid comments at women with their pathetic, juvenile remarks or hooting.

Personally, if I female runner passes me while I am out running, I will say 'Good morning' as I would if a man runs past. To avoid any embarrassment to all parties, I will keep my mouth shut if I am not running myself.
Feb 2021
6:50pm, 2 Feb 2021
478 posts
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cerid
As a runner in Cardiff too, there are definitely areas where people have shouted at me. It’s so off putting and, on more than one occasion, I have had people deliberately step into my way at the last moment - I do not know what they hoped to achieve as this meant they had a 180lb man hit them head on at 9mph but there you go.

I am not a young woman so can definitely imagine that the inappropriate attention is amplified towards them, compared to what I get (although, not to play it down but I doubt that anyone has shouted “your balls are hanging out, mate” at them). It is really awful but I don’t know what’s to be done - the police are unlikely to catch anyone in the act at all, no matter what they do.

[I should also note that they were not. Hanging out, I mean]
Feb 2021
6:58pm, 2 Feb 2021
51,327 posts
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Velociraptor
I have never had more than trivial insolence when running, and it was illuminating to run in Birmingham with a very good-looking young woman (drivers did actually kerb crawl) and then in our small town with my son (he got some quite aggressive taunting).
Feb 2021
7:04pm, 2 Feb 2021
7,815 posts
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Fragile Do Not Bend
Thankfully I’ve only ever had unwanted attention when running in a group, never when I’ve been on my own. Each time it’s been teenage boys in groups calling out comments that they think are funny and clever. 🙄
Feb 2021
7:09pm, 2 Feb 2021
27,667 posts
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HellsBells
As a larger woman generally and larger busted particularly, I have become immune to the “witty comments” that get flung my way.
I’ve had an egg thrown at me - that hurt, literally - and the contents of a bottle of water.
The one time I was truly frightened was when I was followed down a road by a van very close to my childrens’ school at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

About This Thread

Maintained by faithfulred
I've just read this: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/feb/02/people-heckle-me-top-female-...

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