![]() “Our biggest takeaway is that there is safety in numbers, which is why we are creating a community of runners to ensure a safe environment,” Colonna says. “My co-workers and I decided to start a movement, called Despite the Dark, where we shed light on the safety issues women face when they run, specifically at night,” says Rachel Colonna, a creative studio designer and a founding member of the Despite the Dark team, who found that women co-workers were feeling more afraid of running after recent events such as the murders of runners Wendy Martinez and Mollie Tibbets, respectively. You may be able to turn to your workplace to get things off the ground. ![]() Running in a group is the easiest way to handle this, but why not take it a step further by joining or forming a local movement that is determined to empower women and involve men through conversation and action. Some of us just really like to run at night, but as Dugar pointed out, women are vulnerable to predators, and they are most vulnerable at night when alone. Join/start a local running group that addresses your concerns You can use your hips to throw an attacker off of you. Keep firing away with your hands, fists, and kick with your legs. If thrown to the ground, try to remember that the tools you have standing are the same ones you have on the ground and you can still fight back.All the while, be sure to try and dodge or block any blows coming to your head and face. ![]() ![]() Keep firing away until you have a moment to possibly escape.Punch or knee the groin in hopes to loosen up a grab or hold on you.Punch straight to the throat to disrupt breathing.Those three targets are: eyes, throat and groin. Then acquire and fire: Acquire the most effective soft targets (on a male attacker) and fire away.Get in a wider than normal stance so you won't be knocked down easily. If grabbed or pulled or attempted to to the ground, drop your center of gravity to help keep your balance.If things get physical, Cassetta describes tactics you can use to take an attacker down: As much as I enjoy running to music it’s really not safe.” “Headphones playing music and I would zone out listening, and hear if someone is coming up behind me or at me. “One important thing I have changed in my running routine is that unless I am around a lot of people or running on the boardwalk during the day, I no longer put headphones on,” says Christie Maruka, a fitness enthusiast who runs/speed walks daily. So, choose an area populated by people, not cars. “I cannot overstate the importance of staying off road shoulders, especially really narrow or non-existent ones,” she says. If you’re new to an area, and not sure where to run, Tina Willis, a personal injury attorney and avid distance runner for nearly 20 years, recommends asking neighbors and even dropping by your local police station to learn what trails local officers recommend.Īlso, given her expertise in personal injury law, Willis stresses to not forget about another serious threat to all runners: drivers. “With risk aversion, they can make decisions that will reduce their vulnerability and consequently allow them to enjoy their running.” “It is probably smart for women to have a certain level of risk aversion while they run because they are vulnerable targets to predators,” says Laura Dugan, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland. What it does mean is that they’re having better, less stressful workouts by practicing risk-aversion. This doesn’t mean they’re guaranteeing their safety (that’s not possible), or that anyone who has been hurt or worse while running could have been spared had they taken more precautions (that’s victim-blaming). Part of what helps women runners stay confident is taking safety precautions. Risk aversion is the key here - not risk elimination (which is impossible) But they don’t give up what they love, an attitude that inspires me to get my sneakers back on and go for it, with some handy tips in mind. They recognize that they can’t control what others do, that there’s no such thing as “asking for it”, and that you can take all the safety precautions in the world and still end up a victim.
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