How Often Female Runners in US Face Harassment? American Students Use #MilesForMollie to Show They are Not Afraid

Almost every runner in US says they do get unsolicited sexual attention. The numerals are terrifying, especially after the tragedy happened to Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts, who never returned from her evening run. To show that they’re not afraid, local runners dedicated #MilesForMollie tag. Can you imagine, how often US students, scholars, and workers face inappropriate sexual behavior while running? The Typical Student team has fresh statistics.

Is it dangerous to jog now?

Without a doubt, there is a huge difference between flirty whistles and the Mollie Tibbetts’ case. However, within the confession, the murderer of Iowa jogger - Cristhian Bahena Rivera - said he followed the girl in his car. What is more, then Rivera even run beside Mollie for a while before killing her. This is a real problem, which can refer to any American girl, teen or woman.

During the investigation, it was discovered that number of women runners face harassment.

How often US runners face harassment?

In 2016, Runner's World asked their readers, "How often, if ever, does a stranger whistle at you, comment on your body, needlessly honk at you, or give you other similar unsolicited sexual attention?" And the answers are terrifying! Here’s what statistics showed:

• 43% of women runners answered they often or always experience such behavior;
• 4% of men runners said the same;
• 54% of women runners answered they were concerned at least sometimes while running, or getting ready to run, that they could be physically assaulted or have unwanted physical contact.
• 30% of running girls aid they have been followed by a person in a car, bicycle or on foot;
• 18% of women runners were sexually propositioned;
• 5% were flashed;
• 3% answered they had been grabbed, groped, or otherwise physically assaulted.

How to protect yourself?

To make sure your everyday run will be a safe one, the Typical Student team recommends to:

change your running routes more often,

find a person to run with,

always take your mobile with you

and don’t forget to tell your friends or family where your running route is going to be.

#MilesForMollie

Should we explain to you that the death of 20-year-old Iowa runner Mollie Tibbets realized the biggest fears of US runners? Girls, students, and women never know what they will meet on the road. 

To stop these fears, runners across the US decided to dedicate their runs to Mollie. Now social media is full of #MilesForMollie posts with hopeful messages.

This one is made by another Iowa student Sarah Hemann Bishop. The girl posted the pic of her sneakers and captured it:

"This run is for you Mollie. We are with you. We will not allow fear to stop us from doing the things we love."