Staying Safe on the Run—Together
What does women runners' safety mean to you? There are many different answers—and safety on the run is an issue for everyone, not just women. One way to help all runners stay safe is by sharing information, inspiration, and advice, and working together.
The Run Collective started Runner Safety Awareness Week in 2016 to help make that happen. “In 2016, three women—Ally Brueger, Karina Vetrano, and Vanessa Marcotee—were murdered while out running, all within a nine-day period,” said John Honerkamp, The Run Collective’s founder. “This was the main catalyst for Runner Safety Awareness Week.”
Making Running Safer for All
This year’s Runner Safety Awareness Week took place in January and featured 24 virtual events covering a wide range of topics: self-defense, anti-harassment training, anti-violence, traffic safety, visibility, running at night, women’s health, nutrition, safety for specific populations, fighting stereotypes, trail running, competition, dealing with tragedy, and more.
“Running can be and needs to be safer,” said Honerkamp. “We have unfortunately seen or heard about too many incidents where people have been injured or killed while out running, or where a runner is harassed, attacked, or even murdered. The color of your skin, how you self-identify, your sexual orientation, your faith or creed are all factors in how safe you are or feel as a runner.”
“Safety is an important issue for runners because the act of running ought to engender physical and emotional health, not danger,” said Jennie Matz, co-leader of The Run Collective. “For those who routinely experience harassment and mistreatment, engaging in physical activities such as running where one already feels exposed—whether it’s because attention is drawn to their bodies or to the color of the skin—can be a life-threatening experience. The very act of self-care is also something that can put you at risk.”
Whose Responsibility?
Matz noted that women runners may be told that safety is solely up to them. “Women are invariably told what not to do: don’t run alone, don’t run at night, bring protective gear,” she said.
The Run Collective does offer advice and guidelines for runners seeking to feel safer on the run, such as taking a self-defense class and/or a bystander intervention class. “We've run into some pushback from runners, especially women, who say they shouldn't have to take a self-defense class. Why does the onus fall on the victim or potential victim?” said Honerkamp. “We hear and understand that sentiment, but we still recommend taking some self-defense classes to be ready if you find yourself in a precarious situation.”
The Run Collective has partnered with the Center for Anti-Violence Education, which offers an “Upstander” course that teaches how to take action in response to acts of intolerance, speak or act in support of an individual or cause, intervene on behalf of a person being attacked or bullied, and actively work to create an anti-oppressive world.
“Oftentimes people don’t want to get involved or don't know how to get involved or disrupt something they see that does not seem right. You don't have to swoop in and save the day, but you can at least make a phone call, tell someone or ask for help,” said Honerkamp.
A Culture of Safety Awareness
All runners can promote safety for all through “awareness, awareness, awareness,” he added. “We don't think enough people are talking about runner safety, especially for women. Every runner could be more educated and have more tools in their toolbox to help keep themselves—and others—safe. I went to cross country camps as a kid in the 80s and 90s and there was hardly any talk about runner safety. I get the sense that not much has changed. We need to talk about it.”
On a broader societal level, Matz cites “the current reality where aggression and violence—particularly toward women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+—exists” and says that runners can work in their communities to change that reality. “The onus shouldn’t fall on those who are the most likely victims. We should continually aspire to effect systemic change.” For the past three years The Run Collective has worked with the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence to address this issue.
“We need to ask ourselves: How do we engage everyone? How do we communicate that safety requires all of us?” said Matz.
Runner Safety Awareness Week also addressed issues of weight and body image, particularly for women. “Our notion of safety needs to include healthy designs for weight, nutrition, and body image,” said Matz. “We know that unhealthy and unrealistic weight expectations have been erroneously correlated to performance resulting in a dangerous cycle of physical injury and emotional detriment.”
The Run Collective is looking to have several talks quarterly to keep the conversations going and introduce new topics. “Runner Safety Awareness Week is only one week,” said Honerkamp. “We need to all work on this every week.”