RW says 43% of women - just 4% of men - have been harassed on their runs

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  • rojo
    cofounder
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 4:33pm CDT
    Forum Index
    Runner's World has a good story out called "Running while female" that looks at the harassment women face while running.

    This line was interesting to me:

    " 43 percent of women at least sometimes experience harassment on the run, according to a recent RW survey, compared with just 4 percent of men. "

    I find those numbers to be WAY off. As a man, I got harassed a lot. "Run Forrest run., Keep it up you fa**ot", etc.

    Men and women, how many of you have been harassed on a run? I would think the numbers would be near 100% for both sexes.

    One thing I'd say is I got harassed a lot when I was running 100+ mpw in short shorts and no shirt. Now that I barely run (less than 20 mpw) and when I do so I'm wearing long clothes, I never get harassed. I'm not denying that women get harassed way more often than men but I wonder if some of it is related to how much clothing you are wearing.

    Of course, I'm out there 1/5th of the time that I used to so the opportunities to get harassed are much less. Plus I'm wearing more clothes.

    https://www.runnersworld.com/running-while-female?internal_recirc=hpblock2
  • Jefe in the CO
    registered
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:02pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    I'm in the same boat, harassed mercilessly when running a lot, not really at all now. Had eggs, Slurpees, god-knows-what thrown at me. Accused of being a fag, punk, etc. Plenty of cars circling back if I responded, got in one fight, the rest of the time it was all bluster. Back in the 70's we would get harassed by somebody at least a couple of times a week. I'm guessing, with many more runners on the roads, it's less today. Which may account for the drop in male harassment claims. God forbid if you were a woman running back then. Ugh.

    I don't think that the harassment was clothing related though. I think it is more of a location type thing. Never once, today and when I was running a lot, did I concern myself with the safety of the area that I was running in. I went everywhere and anywhere. Women are much more conscious of "safe places to run". So, for me, the harassment is more location specific and less about short shorts.
  • John Smith
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:03pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    I am male and once a woman yelled "Nice ass!" as I ran past her.
    It was funny and I took it as a compliment.
    Reverse genders and maybe the runner would have felt harassed?
  • rubar
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:03pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    rojo wrote:
    Men and women, how many of you have been harassed on a run? I would think the numbers would be near 100% for both sexes.


    Agree,

    Complete bs that only 4% of men responded to being harassed.
  • ukathleticscoach
    registered
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:07pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    Yes.

    I always give as good as I get as people like that rely on the runner being meek and mild and not saying anything back. I don't mind the humourous ones but a lot are abusive or threatening

    In one way it must be worst as a woman with the safety aspect.but as a man you feel obliged to be a man when so sometimes you'd really rather not bother
  • sagasdfasdf
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:11pm CDT
    re: rubar
    Forum Index
    Agree, surprised it's not near 100% for both genders.

    Three thoughts:

    1. Most people don't run as much as the letsrun crowd, so they have fewer opportunities to get harassed.

    2. Skinnier people with runner-looking bodies are probably more likely to get harassed than your typical American-sized individual.

    3. Some men probably won't want to admit to being harassed or have some weird definition of the term (or haven't thought about what the definition really is).

    Anyhow, runners don't have it anywhere nearly as bad as cyclists. Last week a woman threw her car door open at me just because I stopped at a red light (in the bike lane!), a passing Lyft driver apologized to me like three times for her behavior and he had nothing to do with it.
  • Subway Surfers Addiction
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:13pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    I ran past some cheeky teenagers once as I entered into an edge of city faux-wilderness loop and they said "run Forrest run." I was so annoyed I wanted hit one them but teenagers know their rights and one of them was actually taller than me (though a skinny, grunge Shaggy lookalike).
  • Off topic rojo worship
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:16pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    rojo, are you running at the same pace that you were when you were running 100 mpw?
  • harASSed
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:18pm CDT
    re: Subway Surfers Addiction
    Forum Index
    Some women will report a simple "hi" as qualifying for being harassed.

    Guess I'm one of those 4% (which is way too low) as I've gotten them all as well. From the "nice legs!" comments to Forrest Gump jeers, even catcalls from women.
  • Coffee Monster
    registered
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:20pm CDT
    re: Subway Surfers Addiction
    Forum Index
    I have been called fa**ot plenty of times.

    One time, my now wife and I were running and some guy drove in front of us at a four way stop, so naturally I flipped him off. He circled back and got out of the car and tried to chase us down! He never caught us, nor had a chance, so I I verbally assaulted him back best I could to impress my GF.

    I think the study by RW is off, but women do have it worse and men are more crude to them and probably more hostile. I always feel bad that my wife actually has to worry about when/where she runs.
  • txRUNNERgirl
    registered
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:22pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    I thought the number would be higher too, but obviously they didn't ask all runners. I will say that since I moved to Portland, I rarely get harassed. In Texas and Idaho, it was multiple times per run.
  • Hardloper
    registered
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:31pm CDT
    re: John Smith
    Forum Index
    John Smith wrote:

    I am male and once a woman yelled "Nice ass!" as I ran past her.
    It was funny and I took it as a compliment.
    Reverse genders and maybe the runner would have felt harassed?


    To be fair I imagine it's less funny the 500th time
  • stfu JS
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:34pm CDT
    re: Hardloper
    Forum Index
    I got long hair and always run in short runner shorts and no shirt and people make comments all the time, both male and female. I always smile and wave and keep on running. No point in making something out of it, waste of time and energy. It is very different for a girl/woman though. I run with them sometimes and it gets obnoxious fast.
  • dbags
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:37pm CDT
    re: John Smith
    Forum Index
    John Smith wrote:

    I am male and once a woman yelled "Nice ass!" as I ran past her.
    It was funny and I took it as a compliment.
    Reverse genders and maybe the runner would have felt harassed?


    #metoo
  • Gramps
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:43pm CDT
    re: Jefe in the CO
    Forum Index
    Jefe in the CO wrote:

    I'm in the same boat, harassed mercilessly when running a lot, not really at all now. Had eggs, Slurpees, god-knows-what thrown at me. Accused of being a fag, punk, etc. Plenty of cars circling back if I responded, got in one fight, the rest of the time it was all bluster. Back in the 70's we would get harassed by somebody at least a couple of times a week. I'm guessing, with many more runners on the roads, it's less today. Which may account for the drop in male harassment claims. God forbid if you were a woman running back then. Ugh.

    I don't think that the harassment was clothing related though. I think it is more of a location type thing. Never once, today and when I was running a lot, did I concern myself with the safety of the area that I was running in. I went everywhere and anywhere. Women are much more conscious of "safe places to run". So, for me, the harassment is more location specific and less about short shorts.


    [email protected]
    Started running the roads in '67 while in high school, pre-running boom. Experienced all of the above and worse. Manys the time I day dreamed about carrying, maybe fire a few warning shots. No women running then except on the local track. The worst was running after work in the dark trying to meet my mileage. Many close calls of getting hit by car on purpose.
  • Connecticut Urban Area
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:43pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    guess it depends where you draw the line. have heard things like "run forrest run" (wow, that's so funny, haven't thought about that, ever) a couple times, but wasn't bad. is this already harassment? clearly we can agree that sexual harassment is worse.
  • The Original P.i.m.p. Baller
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:45pm CDT
    re: rojo
    Forum Index
    On two separate occasions, I've had dudes pull up alongside me in their car to mouth off and impress a girl sitting next to them. Both times, my reaction unfortunately involved sexually harassing their girlfriends. Even when men get harassed, women lose.
  • Sledge_hammer
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:46pm CDT
    re: txRUNNERgirl
    Forum Index
    txRUNNERgirl wrote:

    I thought the number would be higher too, but obviously they didn't ask all runners. I will say that since I moved to Portland, I rarely get harassed. In Texas and Idaho, it was multiple times per run.

    What would you define as"harassment"?
  • John Smith
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 5:54pm CDT
    re: Hardloper
    Forum Index
    Hardloper wrote:

    John Smith wrote:

    I am male and once a woman yelled "Nice ass!" as I ran past her.
    It was funny and I took it as a compliment.
    Reverse genders and maybe the runner would have felt harassed?


    To be fair I imagine it's less funny the 500th time


    To be fair, do you even run anymore?
    What is your purpose here?
    Why are you on a running forum when you have nothing to contribute towards running?
    Even your buddy Jamin changed his username and approach.
    Please, please, you used to be good. Go back to being good or fvck off.
  • Sara Palin
    2 years ago 10/20/2017 6:15pm CDT
    re: stfu JS
    Forum Index
    stfu JS wrote:

    It is very different for a girl/woman though. I run with them sometimes and it gets obnoxious fast.


    That is crazy! I have never had a girl be harrassed when I was running with her. The would be harrassors are intimidated by my 130lb 5'8" frame. You must be a pathetic excuse for a man if guys yell at chicks while you are with them.