Suffolk runners share safety fears as clocks go back

New research has found 69 per cent of women are concerned about sexual harassment and intimidation while exercising after dark, warning that "the hidden curfew on women’s freedom to exercise after dark remains firmly in place".

A number of Suffolk running clubs are hosting a run later today (Friday, October 30) at Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre track as part of This Girl Can's Lift the Curfew campaign.

An event will take place at Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre on Friday.

For runners such as Fran Cole, of St Edmund Pacers, the fear that motivates these campaigns is stark.

She said: “I mean the harsh reality is that I just want to go out for a run without being scared that I am going to be raped or murdered.

“But unfortunately, that’s the harsh truth.”

St Edmunds Pacers' 'Let's Lift the Curfew' run in 2025

Danni Coates, from the same running group, said the darker nights leave her increasingly conscious of her surroundings while running alone.

She said: “As women we should be able to run throughout the year as the nights draw in, feeling safe to do so, without feeling a need to restrict outside exercise due to safety fears.

“I for one feel I am very aware of the safety aspect of running alone in the dark as a young woman, sticking to well lit paths and built up areas, looking over a shoulder or sometimes crossing the road.”

Another Suffolk runner, who asked to remain anonymous, said running was a “huge part” of her life but that she faced the same dilemma every year.

She said: “I am always torn between having to change something I love each year to feel safer, or carrying on because all runners should feel safe enough to enjoy their sport.”

An image from the Reclaim The Night March in Ipswich.

Because group runs do not easily fit around her family life, she usually exercises alone, although male friends sometimes join her on early runs to help her feel safer.

The issue has taken on added significance in Suffolk as police continue to investigate an incident of sexual assault involving a female jogger in Stowmarket.

The attack happened between 5.45am and 6am on Wednesday, November 19, last year, on a path off Iliffe Way in Stowmarket.

A woman in her 30s was out running when she was approached by an unknown man who pulled her to the ground and sexually assaulted her.

Police are still investigating the sexual assault which took place in Iliffe Way, Stowmarket.

Kate Dale, director of marketing at This Girl Can, said: “Every year when the clocks go back, countless women find their worlds getting smaller, and many change or step away from exercise altogether because of fear.”

The impact of losing daylight can lead many women to adapt everyday routines, with one in three changing their outdoor exercise habits in order to exercise earlier.

Women are also more than three times more likely than men to stop exercising outdoors after dark entirely, at 11 per cent compared with three per cent.

In response to the rising fear amongst female runners, one Ipswich running group is trying to give women the opportunity to enjoy running after dark without feeling they have to do it alone.

Ipswich Trail Runners is organising its first Girls on Trails women-only night, offering a free 5km trail run from The Ship at Levington.

Runners will use headtorches, remain together and loop back to ensure nobody is left alone, with organisers encouraging beginners as well as experienced runners to take part.

This year's Ipswich Reclaim The Night March will take place on November 25.

The group said: “If running in the dark has always felt a bit scary, this is the best way to try it, surrounded by a gang of women who've all been there.”

The group said the event was intended to give women “a place to feel safe with like minded people” and the chance to experience running on local trails after dark without fear.

On November 25, the University of Suffolk Students’ Union will host a Reclaim the Night march from Ipswich Waterfront to the town centre, highlighting the issue of violence against women and girls.

The march is open to any members of the public and university students and staff who would like to take part and will begin at 6.15pm.

At the town hall there will be speeches including from the Mayor of Ipswich before closing with a candlelit vigil.

Zoe Saunders, Students’ Union President of Activities & Wellbeing, said: “Reclaim the Night is just as important today as it has ever been.

"Gender-based violence remains a serious issue affecting individuals and communities across the country, and creating meaningful change requires all of us to challenge harmful attitudes, inequalities and behaviours. We all have a part to play in building a society where everyone feels safe, respected and free from violence.”

Suffolk Constabulary advises people to share safety concerns through StreetSafe, report crimes through the force’s website and call 999 in an emergency.