What It Means for Women Running Alone
From April 1st, a significant shift in UK law could begin to change how safe women feel when heading out for a run.
New legislation under the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 now makes behaviours such as catcalling, following, or making sexually aggressive comments in public a criminal offence, with perpetrators potentially facing prosecution and even prison.
For many women, this isn’t just a legal update. It’s long-overdue recognition of something that has shaped how, and whether, they run.
Natasha, founder of Boldli Run, shared her views with us:
This is a hugely welcome new law for me – behaviours like following, intimidation and so-called “no-contact” harassment just haven’t been taken seriously enough. I know, because I was followed home – and while I was incredibly scared afterwards, had sleepless nights and it affected the routes I took and times I ran or left the house afterwards, the initial response I received by a male police officer was to downplay it… despite having concrete video footage evidence that it happened to me.
They tried to convince me not to take it any further, and I ended up having to ask for a female police inspector to take over in order to actually get a prosecution. Even then, the sentence he received was a suspended one, plus a summer curfew and a small victim surcharge – nothing particularly dissuading. Given that he knew where I lived and seemingly showed no remorse, it didn’t reassure me much.
That’s the reality many women face – these incidents are often dismissed, even though they shape how we move through the world every day. Its why I set up BOLDLI, to support other female runners who have had similar experiences on the run or just out in public – I hear stories all the time from other women, from being catcalled to followed or threatened. And all too often, it’s followed by them feeling discouraged to report or not having anything done about their report.
Having a law that clearly recognises this behaviour as a crime is an important step forward – it sends a message that this isn’t harmless or acceptable, and women don’t just have to put up with being scared on the streets.
But this new law alone isn’t enough. It will only make a difference if it’s properly enforced, and if women are actually listened to, believed and taken seriously when they report these experiences, unlike I initially was. That’s what I want to see actually happen next, before I start celebrating.
The Reality Women Runners Deal With
Ask almost any woman who runs regularly and you’ll hear a version of the same story:
- Routes carefully chosen to avoid isolated areas
- Headphones removed to stay alert
- Running at certain times avoided altogether
- Potential harassment treated as “just something to deal with”
Public sexual harassment has been so normalised that many women have simply adapted their behaviour around it. For trail runners, this issue can be amplified. The very environments we celebrate, quiet park trails, canal paths, early morning starts, can also feel the most vulnerable.
Jane Copland, Author and former New Zealand and International swimmer, told us;
I moved to the UK 17 years ago and began running in London in the mornings before work. I’d only been in the city for a week when someone yelled, “Slag!” at me from a speeding van. Since then, I’ve been harassed countless times while running, including on three occasions outside my own home. I’ve had to call 999 twice, once while training for the London Marathon. To date, men have been extremely bold in their harassment: they shout abuse from company-branded vehicles, and their managers become irate (at me) when I report the behaviour. I have been called “vile” by a site manager for reporting abuse from his workers and told by a University of Oxford administrator that he presumed his builders to be “innocent” of my claims, despite being presented with video evidence. Police have been largely supportive, although I had to escalate one of these complaints to my MP before they would even speak to the man in question.
I’ve written a bit about sexist abuse in sporting environments before, so this is very much of interest to me.
I hope the enforcement of this legislation conveys to these people that they are no longer free to torment women, and that those who continue to do so are prosecuted successfully under these new laws.
So What Actually Changes?
The new offence specifically targets intentional harassment based on sex that causes alarm or distress.
This includes:
- Catcalling or shouting sexual comments
- Following or deliberately intimidating someone
- Obscene gestures or persistent unwanted attention
Previously, much of this sat in a grey area, unpleasant, but rarely actionable. Now, it’s explicitly recognised as criminal behaviour and this matters because when something becomes illegal, it shifts:
- Police response
- Public perception
- Accountability
How does this affect Women Running Alone?
It can change the landscape in three ways:
1. Validation
Women can no longer being told, implicitly or explicitly, that they’re “overreacting”. The law acknowledges that harassment is not “banter”; it is harmful.
2. Hopefully a Deterrent
The possibility of legal consequences may discourage some behaviours, particularly in more public spaces like parks, canal paths, and urban trails.
3. Confidence to Report
Runners who experience harassment now have clearer grounds to report it, and should be taken seriously when they do.
But Law Alone Isn’t Enough
Even with this legal change, sadly culture hasn’t caught up yet. Harassment remains widespread, and many women still feel unsafe in public spaces. So, while it’s not a complete solution, it is a step forward and arguably a big one. For women who run alone, it sends a clear message: What you experience matters and it’s being taken seriously.
But the real impact will depend on what happens next, on enforcement, on cultural change, and on whether the running community helps carry that momentum forward. Boldli Run are such a community; check them out here.
Header photo: Tanya Raab at the RunUltra Kailas FUGA Women’s Community Run
