92% of women are concerned about safety when running

According to an Adidas survey conducted in 2023, 92% of 4,500 women in nine countries reported feeling concerned about safety when going for a run. And a 2024 UK survey found that more than two-thirds of women surveyed said they had experienced some form of threat while running.

Umni Khan, a law professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, said male aggression has historically been normalized. They say they are putting the onus on women to behave wisely in public places to avoid becoming targets.

“Thanks to feminism and the equality movement, this mindset is changing,” he said.

But he added that it is still more common for women to take self-defense classes or take prevention training than to stop violent men.

According to an Adidas survey conducted in 2023, 92% of 4,500 women in nine countries reported feeling concerned about safety when going for a run. CP Communications

Running seems to have become the most trending exercise at the moment, with the number of people registering for races hitting an all-time high, there were 4.7 million running-related posts on TikTok, and running brand Hoka’s sales increased by 34% this year.

But many women who participate in running fear they may be attacked or killed, as several American female runners have been in recent years. Most recently, 34-year-old Alyssa Rockets was shot and killed by a man who attempted to rape her while running on a popular hiking trail.

The Mill Creek Greenway, a hiking trail where the Rockets used to jog, is increasing security measures following the incident. Metro Parks and Recreation Commission Supervisor Jackie Jones advised trail users to run with a friend or be aware of their surroundings.

Alyssa’s sister-in-law, Abby Rockets, says she followed safety precautions. Alyssa ran a crowded course in the middle of the day and took a self-defense class.

“Putting responsibility for safety on women is a barrier to real change,” said Jean Kettering, an assistant professor at the University of New Brunswick’s Fredericton campus. This is because it does not focus on the reasons why gender-based violence is widespread.

Khan said telling women not to run alone was discriminatory and hindered their freedom of movement.

Crime statistics show that women are much more likely to be murdered by someone they know. According to Statistics Canada, only 1% of gender-related murders in Canada are committed by strangers.

However, in Canada, a woman died while exercising alone. Examples include Wendy Radnorbodrey in Vancouver in 2009, Ardes Wood in Ottawa in 2003, and Margaret McWilliam in Toronto in 1987.

Additionally, according to Statistics Canada data from 2019, one in three women have experienced unwanted sexual behavior in public places.

“We must not individualize the problem, we must think about the root causes of violence,” Kettering said.

Because gender-based violence is so common, speculating on the motive for the crime is meaningless and only brands the perpetrators as unique monsters.

He said the pattern of placing responsibility for maintaining safety back on the victims continues, adding that trying to solve deep-rooted social problems with commercial accessories such as self-defense sprays or whistles is a temporary solution.

Regarding the reason why some men attack women, Khan said that feminist theory believes that because men who follow patriarchy objectify women, they have the right to act on violent impulses and attack women.

He said demonizing men is unhelpful. The same applies even to men who attack women. He said the justice system needs to allocate more resources to understand their motivations and figure out what kinds of interventions and rehabilitation programs might work.

He added that early intervention, mental health resources and education for all genders should also be priorities.