A woman has revealed the numerous safety measures she takes before going out for a solo run.
Nelly London, a Brighton-based influencer who has over half a million followers on Instagram, is an avid athlete. She shares content with a positive message about body image and health, along with other important posts on thought-provoking topics.
In a recent video On Instagram, she revealed that due to the safety risks posed to women running, she has to take a number of precautions, including carrying a legal weapon and sharing her running route live with friends so they can raise the alarm. if you go running. of course.
Her clip follows a 2023 survey by sportswear brand Adidas that found that nearly all women (92 percent) reportedly have safety concerns when running outdoors. Just over half of them (51 percent) fear physical attacks. Meanwhile, only 28 percent of men have the same safety concerns.
Nelly wrote a caption alongside her video about how she tries to stay safe while running.
Influencer Nelly London (pictured) highlighted the precautions she takes when out running to stay safe.
In it, she said: “This is not an option for women, we don’t do it ‘just in case’, we do it because we see violent crimes committed against women all over the world EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
‘This is for every woman who lost her life doing something she loved, something she should have been doing safely, but wasn’t.
‘They weren’t in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the wrong thing.
“They were just women.”
Her video shows her running, as well as how she should prepare for running by making sure to implement a long list of precautions to help her avoid harm.
In this footage, she talks about these measures in a voiceover, which is also shared through subtitles written on the screen.
In the video, she said: ‘I am a woman who likes to run. Of course, I carry at least one gun with me when I leave the house.’
As she said this, Nelly showed images of herself putting what appeared to be a small spray-type bottle in her pocket. It could be Armnd, a brand that offers one of the legal alternatives to pepper spray (which is illegal to possess, purchase or transport in the UK) along with other security products such as alarms.
As well as sharing his live route with a friend and keeping his music at a low volume to ensure he’s aware of his surroundings, he also carries a gun (pictured) which appears to be one of the legal alternatives to pepper spray.
And she continued: ‘I am a woman who likes to run. Of course, I send my live location to at least one person when I go for a run and let them know my exact route. So if I stray, they can call the police.
‘I am a woman who likes to run. Of course, I don’t listen to my music at full volume, because I have to be fully aware of my surroundings at all times.
I am a woman who likes to run. Of course, I can’t run alone at night, because anything that happens to me would automatically be my fault.
I am a woman who likes to run. Of course, I have to periodically change my schedule and running routes to reduce the risk of being harassed.
‘I am a woman who likes to run. Of course, I think of all the women who lost their lives doing something they love, something they should have been confident in, but weren’t.
In the comments section of the video, some women shared their own safety tips and one man revealed what he does to prevent women from freaking out when they’re out.
‘I am a woman who loves to run. Of course, I fear for my own safety when I run. And I feel immensely grateful every time I return home safely.”
Some women in the comments shared their own safety measures when out running.
One said: “I always wear my hair in a bun, not a pony, ponies are easier to grab.”
Another added: “I wish I loved running, but I don’t love pimples.” However, I can relate to this wholeheartedly in every way. I used to walk to work and back every day, about 30 minutes walk, and I felt all this especially when changing routes. And the time of day changing the route too. Keys on hand. It never ends.’
And one man revealed what he does to make sure he doesn’t scare women, explaining: “Every time I walk behind a girl I always stop to give myself distance and she doesn’t think I’m following her, why do I do that? Well , thanks to this video.’