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#WeWill

#WEWILL is a campaign to raise awareness of the sexual harassment of women runners.

#WEWILL is a focus on the positive actions men and women can take to enable women to be safe, and to feel safe, in every part of their lives.

Small changes add up. Collective action leads to widespread change.

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#WeWill

Now is the time to act.

Pledge your support to #WEWILL

Tell us what change you will make to help women feel safer.

Post your pledge to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Use #wewill

INSTAGRAM: wewill.campaign #wewill

WHY DO WE NEED TO DO THIS? Harassment of women runners happens all the time. It is our lived experience.

69%

of women do not feel safe or adjust their behaviours to feel safe when they run

79%

have been shouted at while running

31%

have thought about stopping running because of safety concerns

*statistics taken from the Women’s Running National Running Survey 2021

Harassment can be catcalls; it can be sexual assault. Many women have faced the threat of increased abuse and sexual harassment while exercising during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we change our behaviour because of it.

How have we changed our behaviour?

We run routes that we think are safer, we only run in well-lit locations, we don't run at night, we don't run alone, we cross the road or double back, we run with keys in our hand, we fake a phone call to a friend, we have 999 dialled in “just in case”.

We change our behaviour because that’s what we’ve always done. It’s easier to accept a loss of freedom than change the world.

11% of women runnerS carry keys in their hand “just in case”

Most harassments go unreported. Women don't know they can report it, and don't think they will be taken seriously. The men who do it, don't realise it's a crime. It is.

MICRO CHANGES = BIG IMPACT

We can drive change together.

The small changes we make will result in a big difference to a culture in which we’ve come to accept a loss of freedom as normal.

Join us to empower women to be safe in every part of their life; safe to run and walk freely outside and safe at home.

It’s time to stand together

#wewill

What can we do?

Women must share their experiences with men, and not just live them.

Men must listen, address their behaviours, and question their actions.

Women must report harassment, whenever it happens.

We must all call out harassment when we witness it.

how can we change our world?

We want you to join us by pledging the change that you are going to make. Use one of these pledges, or one of your own, and promise to make the world a better place.

✋🏼 I will actively seek understanding of women’s lived experiences

🖐🏻 I will tell friends and family my experiences of fear and harassment

🤚🏿 I will encourage my daughter/mother/sister/aunt/friend to run with confidence

✋🏼 I will advocate for women’s right to move freely

🤚🏾 I will never objectify women

🖐🏻 I will never restrict the human rights of women by my actions

🤚🏾 I will use my position to change policy

✋🏼 I will explain consent and respect to my children

🖐🏻 I will call out harassment when I see it

🤚🏿 I will support women who have been harassed

🖐🏻 I will explain what harassment is

Use #WEWILL with your pledges.

What are we going to do with your pledges?

#WEWILL speak up
#WEWILL listen
#WEWILL educate

Tell us what you pledge to do. Post to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Spread the word. Use #WEWILL

As women, we have the right to run freely.

WE WILL not live in fear.
WE WILL make a difference.

#WEWILL

about us

We are a collective of women who want to create change. We are all runners and we have all experienced harassment. Like all women, we have lived experience of harassment.

Between us, through the organisations we lead or have led within, we represent millions of women worldwide and aim to empower them to be able to run freely wherever and whenever they like. Every single day in our online communities though we read about countless stories of harassment and abuse. It is pretty hard reading.

In the days following the murder of Sarah Everard, and reflecting on the deaths of Blessing Olusegun, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry in recent months, it became clear to us through the more recent discussions in our communities that we have all been changing our running (& walking) behaviours out of fear our whole lives.

Many women have told us that it is behaviour so ingrained that they’re not even consciously aware of it. The men in our lives were also shocked, “we had no idea” was a common response.
Men and women alike have been asking what they can do to make a difference?

With 97% of young women reporting experiencing harassment, and 31% of women runners considering giving up running because of safety concerns we all know it is now time for change.
We’re not talking about more surveys or extra street lighting, rather meaningful, long lasting change. And we believe that there is huge power in the small behaviour changes we can all make.

These small, individual commitments add up to positive and collective action that creates long term change.

That is why we are calling on individuals, and running communities, everywhere - men and women standing shoulder to shoulder - to pledge using #WeWill as a positive call to arms (or legs).

We don’t want to hear about women changing their own behaviours out of fear, or giving up running due to safety concerns ever again - and we won’t give up until this happens. Together we can help make women feel safer on our streets.