Women Are Sharing All The Ways They Protect Themselves While Running Alone
Running can be a peaceful and reflective time to clear your head – but if you’re a woman these peaceful thoughts can easily be interrupted by hyper-vigilance for personal safety. Amanda Deibert, a writer for TV and comic books, proved just how frightening a simple run can be by tweeting out about the topic of running safety that was shared in her mom group.
Deibert then widened the question to Twitter, asking her followers for their own safety strategies, and it quickly went viral. Deibert used to be a runner, but now she mostly hikes and walks. The writer told BuzzFeed News, the response made her “sad,” with women sharing everything from photos with their large dogs to knives to pepper spray.
This writer’s twitter thread on the measures women runners take to protect themselves has gone viral and it’s eye-opening
Image credits: amandadeibert
Image credits: amandadeibert
Deibert told Good Morning America the reactions were astonishing, “When I was reading the thread that all just kind of hit me, that is something we all do, all the time, without thinking about it,” she told the outlet. “It speaks to how universal it is, that every woman does have an answer to this question.”
Image credits: amandadeibert
The original tweet prompted thousands of alarming replies
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Fisher Defensive Go Guarded Ring is a heavy-duty plastic serrated-edge weapon that is worn on any finger. The serrated edges can be used to fight off an attacker and even scrape off DNA. The product is convenient because does not need to be retrieved from a belt or fannypack, will not spray back on you, and will not be knocked out of your hand.
With women posting photos of special emergency gadgets
The SLFORCE Personal Alarm Siren is a security safe sound rape whistle. It works by pulling on the hand strap to activate a screaming siren of 130 dB – as loud as a military jet aircraft take-off – giving the runner vital seconds to flee the scene and immediately attract attention.
Or their large and intimidating canine running companions
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MMRM OK Printed Camping Opening Tactical Folding Knife Outdoor Survival Pocket Folding Blade Key Shaped Knife when folded looks an ordinary key. The total length is 12.7cm; blade length: 4.8cm; handle length: 7.5cm.
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Some women even had stories of how their equipment had save them already
The Pepper Spray Keychain for Women Blingsting Pepper Spray contains 10% Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) formula for maximum stopping power. This pepper spray projects 10-feet / 3 meters to prevent wind blowback. Pepper Spray is classified as an inflammatory agent and can immediately incapacitate and temporarily blind a potential attacker. The 1/2 ounce canister has up to 15 powerful bursts and can be replaced after use or expiration.
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It is alarming that this feeling of unsafety exists. However, for most Western countries at least it is a myth that the level of security is so low. Although many argue that guns are a way to protect freedom, I argue that doing everyday activities fully armed is a loss of freedom. Carelessness is not good, but constant vigilance means we are either too freightened or society has taken a wrong turn.
I’m sorry Petra but countries with stricter weapon laws have less violent crime. For example Homocide rates in the UK is 1 out of 100,000, Australia is 1.1 out of 100,000, Sweden is 0.9 out of 100,000 but the US which has lax weapon laws is 4.7 out of 100,000. And most of the time it is by someone they know. Since 1st July 2012 to 30th June 2014 there was 487 homicide incidents in Australia. In the US it is OVER 30,000 homicides in the same time frame.
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It is so sad that anyone has to protect themselves whilst just going for a run or anything for that matter.
The problem lies deeper than this. We have no statistics at hand about actual violent crime. The reason these people wield weapons or bring dogs is the _felt_ threat, be it a real one or an imaginary. And that they need to feel endagered while doing a perfectly normal thing is sad.
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They had a discussion about this on the BBC's Women's Hour a little while back. They came to the conclusion that it was the fact more female victims make prominent news headlines and more crime dramas have pretty young female victims that make women feel disproportionately afraid of being alone. (In the UK) If women are attacked it is most likely to be by someone they know and in a familiar setting. Attacks by strangers are relatively rare and the victims of such random attacks are heavily weighted towards young men. This has been borne out in my own friendship circle. I know far too many women who have been sexually assaulted, but always by someone they were (up to that point) friends with. On the other hand an equal number of my male friends have been beaten up in the street by random groups of men or a lone attacker with a knife.
It's not only about actual attacks. It's enough if you have guys running behind you yelling obscenities. They probably won't attack you for real, but you are still in danger and very uncomfortable to be outside the least.
Load More Replies...
It is alarming that this feeling of unsafety exists. However, for most Western countries at least it is a myth that the level of security is so low. Although many argue that guns are a way to protect freedom, I argue that doing everyday activities fully armed is a loss of freedom. Carelessness is not good, but constant vigilance means we are either too freightened or society has taken a wrong turn.
I’m sorry Petra but countries with stricter weapon laws have less violent crime. For example Homocide rates in the UK is 1 out of 100,000, Australia is 1.1 out of 100,000, Sweden is 0.9 out of 100,000 but the US which has lax weapon laws is 4.7 out of 100,000. And most of the time it is by someone they know. Since 1st July 2012 to 30th June 2014 there was 487 homicide incidents in Australia. In the US it is OVER 30,000 homicides in the same time frame.
Load More Replies... It is so sad that anyone has to protect themselves whilst just going for a run or anything for that matter.
The problem lies deeper than this. We have no statistics at hand about actual violent crime. The reason these people wield weapons or bring dogs is the _felt_ threat, be it a real one or an imaginary. And that they need to feel endagered while doing a perfectly normal thing is sad.
Load More Replies... They had a discussion about this on the BBC's Women's Hour a little while back. They came to the conclusion that it was the fact more female victims make prominent news headlines and more crime dramas have pretty young female victims that make women feel disproportionately afraid of being alone. (In the UK) If women are attacked it is most likely to be by someone they know and in a familiar setting. Attacks by strangers are relatively rare and the victims of such random attacks are heavily weighted towards young men. This has been borne out in my own friendship circle. I know far too many women who have been sexually assaulted, but always by someone they were (up to that point) friends with. On the other hand an equal number of my male friends have been beaten up in the street by random groups of men or a lone attacker with a knife.
It's not only about actual attacks. It's enough if you have guys running behind you yelling obscenities. They probably won't attack you for real, but you are still in danger and very uncomfortable to be outside the least.
Load More Replies...
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