Let’s Lift the Curfew returns for a fourth year

As the clocks go back, many women across Yorkshire will rethink how, where, and whether they exercise once it gets dark. This Girl Can’s Let’s Lift the Curfew movement has returned for 2026 to highlight that reality and help clubs, groups and communities do something about it.

New research from This Girl Can shows that 55% of women feel unsafe exercising outdoors alone after dark, compared with 33% of men. Concern about sexual harassment and intimidation has also grown, with 69% of women now worried about it, up from 60% in 2023. Women are more than three times as likely as men to stop exercising outdoors after dark altogether, and almost three in five say personal safety can be a bigger barrier than the weather, lack of time, or lack of motivation.

Many women also told researchers that rising online misogyny is making them feel less safe in public spaces. Women are already adapting, whether by exercising earlier in the day, avoiding going out alone or sharing their location with someone before they leave. The research also found a gap in understanding: nearly half of the men surveyed said they underestimate how much women think about their safety. Encouragingly, most men feel they have a role to play in helping women feel safer.

Women are clear about what would help. Better lighting is the most wanted measure, followed by someone knowing where they are and how long they’ll be out, and by being part of an exercise group. All three have grown in importance since 2023.

This year, This Girl Can is working with England Athletics and GoodGym to help clubs, community groups and individuals turn awareness into action by hosting walks, runs and other activities. Organisers can register their activity on a national map so women can find opportunities near them and access practical guidance on creating welcoming, supportive experiences.

This is an issue close to our work at Yorkshire Sport Foundation. In Leeds, we’ve supported the #JogOn campaign, helping clubs build their confidence to improve women’s safety, and we know how much difference it makes when clubs and groups take the time to think about who might feel left out, and why. Group activity is one of the things women say helps them feel safer, which makes the role of local clubs and community groups all the more important.

If you run a club, group, or community activity in Yorkshire, we’d encourage you to consider taking part this year. Even a single evening walk or run can help women feel more welcome and less alone.

Find out more, register your activity, and read the full story on the Sport England website.

Image credit: Sport England