A new scheme will be launching in a Nottinghamshire town to help increase feelings of safety for women and girls within fitness centres and gymnasiums. As part of the Safer Streets project, Newark and Sherwood District Council and Nottinghamshire Police are working together to ensure fitness facilities are enjoyable and comfortable spaces for all members.
The organisations also plan to tackle negative experiences through the Safer Gym Group. This group will be made up of local gyms which will receive training on how to support those who may experience unwanted attention or harassment when using their facilities.
It has been found through Fitrated research that unwanted attention, such as being watched, followed, unsolicited physical contact and comments on the body, have caused 71.5% of women to change their gym routines. Those running the new scheme have also created a survey designed to gather the views of women and their encounters surrounding feelings of safety within gyms.
