Almost three-quarters of women change behaviour getting active outdoors in winter, finds This Girl Can.

By This Girl Can | 30 October 2024 | TAGS:

Almost three-quarters (72%) of women in the UK change their outdoor activity routines during winter, according to data released this week.

The new research, commissioned by This Girl Can, highlights the precautions women are taking to stay safe when getting active outdoors after the clocks have gone back. One in four (24%) ensure to take well-lit routes, almost a quarter (23%) avoid certain areas altogether, and one in five (20%) glance behind them to ensure they’re not being followed.

A similar study* last year found under half (46%) of women were changing their outdoor activity routines during the darker months, indicating a rise in safety concerns and the impact of shorter daylight hours on, women's ability to get active as winter approaches.

Returning for a second year, This Girl Can’s Let’s Lift the Curfew movement challenges the idea of a curfew during winter months which prevents women getting out and enjoying getting active.

To mark the onset of the curfew after the official end of summertime on Sunday (27^th October 2024), hundreds of runners are taking to the streets as part of Let’s Lift the Curfew runs across the country.

From Southampton to Durham, over 90 runs will symbolise a collective effort to defy the restrictions women feel during the darker months and demand urgent change to tackle women’s safety fears.

A flagship run in Manchester on Monday (28th Oct) featured a glow-in-the-dark display of UV-lit footsteps which light up the ground with words such as 'vulnerable', 'anxious', and 'afraid,' spotlighting the feelings women experience when getting active outdoors after the clocks go back.

Last year, Sport England held a discussion in parliament about the issue of women’s safety and physical activity. This year, This Girl Can is spotlighting five action areas to advocate for systemic change:

1. Wider cultural awareness of women’s safety issues and education that teaches respect for and allyship with women
2. Comprehensive reporting frameworks against misogynistic behaviour of all levels, across all environments

3. Improved information sharing around the prevalence and locations of sexual harassment to inform solutions that better protect women

1. Spaces designed with a focus on women’s safety, including public outdoors areas for sports and physical activity
2. Continued collaboration with partners to create a bigger movement to tackle the safety fears that contribute to the gender activity gap.

By rallying society to highlight women’s concerns, amplify their voices, and advocate for the five calls for change, This Girl Can aims to make outdoor sport and physical activity safer and more inclusive for women

Kate Dale, Director of Marketing at Sport England and This Girl Can, said:

“Women should have the freedom to run, walk, or cycle without the fear of what might happen in the dark. Yet many feel they have no choice but to change their routes, routines, or avoid exercising outdoors completely when the sun goes down. This isn’t just inconvenient – it’s an injustice.

“Violence against women and girls is an epidemic, and our research suggests that women’s safety fears getting active in winter have worsened over the past year. 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.

“Let’s Lift the Curfew is demanding lasting change so that every woman can move freely and safely. Women deserve to feel confident, strong, and safe when they’re getting active, day or night, and we won’t stop until that becomes the reality.”

Supporters including England Athletics, Good Gym and Greater Manchester Moving have been instrumental in scaling up the Let’s Lift the Curfew movement for 2024.

Eve Holt, Director of GM Moving and Head of Policy and Implementation at GMCA, said:

 “Everyone has the right to feel safe on our streets. As the clocks go back and the nights get longer, women and girls often have to change their behaviour to feel safe. This is not ok. Together, we can shift the dial from fear to freedom. 

"We all have a role to play and especially men and boys, in challenging behaviours that contribute to gender-based harassment and violence.  Andy Burnham, as Mayor of Greater Manchester, has made a clear call to action to men and boys through the Is This Ok campaign. 

“The Right to the Streets initiative and partnership is showing how powerful we can be, as citizens, communities and organisations, when we work together to make our streets, parks and public spaces safe, welcoming and joyful for all to enjoy." 

This Girl Can is calling on the public to back their five calls for change. To find out more and organise your own Let’s Lift the Curfew run, visit: www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/our-partnerships-and-projects/lets-lift-curfew.