As winter cloaks the UK in earlier nights, a resolute troop of women refuse to dim their outdoor zeal, despite the darkness nudging a chilling whisper of safety concerns.
This isn’t just about staying active; it’s about claiming their rightful place in the outdoor world without a shadow of fear.
The spirited initiative, Let’s Lift the Curfew, spearheaded by This Girl Can, isn’t merely a campaign but a clarion call for change that echoes across the chilly air.
The latest figures are telling—a sharp increase to 72% of women now tweaking their routines when winter’s dusk rolls in earlier. It’s a significant jump from last year’s 46%, spotlighting a growing unease that shadows their steps.
The stats reveal prudent adaptations: one in four stick to illuminated paths, nearly a quarter shun certain spots, while another chunk frequently glances over their shoulders, an instinctive response to the unseen.
This isn’t just a seasonal shift in exercise habits but a societal spotlight demanding a sturdier stance on outdoor safety.
Let’s Lift the Curfew isn’t about denying the darker months; it’s about defying the dusk. With over 90 runs planned from Southampton to Durham, women are lacing up not just for physical fitness but for a show of solidarity that refuses to be curtailed by sunset.
Manchester shines a beacon with its flagship event, where UV-lit footsteps paint the pavements in glowing terms—’vulnerable’, ‘anxious’, ‘afraid’—words that women shouldn’t have to carry as their companions when stepping outside.
As the clocks set back, the initiative gains daylight in parliament discussions and public consciousness.
This Girl Can, backed by Sport England, outlines five pivotal action areas—from enhancing cultural awareness and education about allyship to creating safer spaces and improving response systems against misogyny.
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:
- Wider cultural awareness of women’s safety issues and education that teaches respect for and allyship with women
- Comprehensive reporting frameworks against misogynistic behaviour of all levels, across all environments
- Improved information sharing around the prevalence and locations of sexual harassment to inform solutions that better protect women
- Spaces designed with a focus on women’s safety, including public outdoors areas for sports and physical activity
- Continued collaboration with partners to create a bigger movement to tackle the safety fears that contribute to the gender activity gap.
Kate Dale, the impassioned voice at Sport England, doesn’t mince her words: “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, and 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.”
The campaign is a robust call to arms—urging everyone, from passersby to policymakers, to take a stand. This isn’t just about lighting up a path but igniting a movement where women’s safety is as perennial as their spirit to remain active, irrespective of the season.
For those stirred by this rallying cause, the chance to partake is just a visit away at thisgirlcan.co.uk.
Here lies the power to not just lift the curfew but lift spirits, ensuring every woman’s stride through the dark is as confident as it is in daylight.