By Carolyn Thorsen, Project Manager – Safer Spaces to Move, ukactive
Across the UK, fitness and leisure facilities play a vital role in helping people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy the benefits of physical activity. As organisations working with the physical activity sector, we have both a privilege and a responsibility to ensure our spaces, services and products are welcoming, inclusive, and above all, safe for everyone. Today, I’m proud to share the next step on that journey as part of the Safer Spaces to Move project – a project designed to help women and girls to feel safe and more confident while being active in gyms, fitness and leisure facilities.
What is the Safer Spaces to Move project and why are we focused on helping the sector to continue creating safer spaces?
The Safer Spaces to Move project was set up in 2022 after we conducted research into the barriers women and girls can face when participating in physical activity. Since then, the work we have done aims to break down these barriers, which for many women and girls can include personal safety and confidence.
As part of the next phase of the project, we wanted to ensure that our sector is playing its role in stamping out sexual harassment – something that remains a societal issue, with 71% of women of all ages reporting that they’ve experienced some form of sexual harassment in public over their lifetime. With this being a pervasive societal issue, we know that our sectors’ facilities are not exempt. Research conducted by ukactive and This Girl Can in 2023 found that 42% of women had experienced at least one form of harassment or intimidation such as inappropriate comments, staring or invasion of personal space while using a gym or leisure facility, and while facilities aim to be safe havens, 5% of female members have still reported feeling ‘unsafe’ in relation to sexual harassment and intimidation in these settings.
That’s why, as a sector that has more than 11.5 million health and fitness club members, and activity rates among women and girls seeing the largest growth of any group over the past year, the reach and the responsibility of our sector has never been greater.
Introducing the new Safer Spaces to Move resources
During this current phase of the Safer Spaces to Move project, ukactive and This Girl Can, alongside our valued partners CIMSPA and Women’s Aid, have worked with representatives across the sector, to develop practical new resources. Our goal is simple: to embed the foundations that empower every facility to respond to, address and therefore work to prevent, any instances of sexual harassment or intimidation taking place. If instances do occur, these resources aim to provide facilities with the information, guidance and training they need to best support individuals.
The resources launched are free of charge and include an operator handbook which contains recommendations for operational policies, procedures and guidance that advises operators on best practice to effectively respond to sexual harassment or intimidation, should it occur in a facility. The resources also include staff training modules that are designed to help staff to understand and therefore recognise sexual harassment and intimidation, with training on how to detect and respond to any incidents.
How does this benefit our sector?
By using these resources, we see multiple benefits for operators across the UK, including:
- Enhanced reputation: facilities that lead on safety and inclusion become preferred choices for women and underrepresented groups.
- Member retention and growth: a positive, safe member experience is central to building long-term loyalty and trust.
- Sector leadership: operators that implement robust policies demonstrate a strong commitment to equality, diversity and community wellbeing.
The launch of these resources is the latest step in a comprehensive effort to support operators in creating safer, more inclusive spaces. Since the Safer Spaces to Move project began, our collective actions have included research, stakeholder engagement, training and guidance – all developed in partnership with the sector.
Try the new resources
These great new resources are available to access now, so whether you’re an operator, manager, or part of a facility team, please take a look, review your current approach and take proactive steps to embed these fundamentals across your organisation.
By working together as a sector, we can create environments that welcome everyone, growing participation within our facilities and our impact on public health. Every operator, manager, and staff member has a role to play in turning these principles into everyday practice and can help in the journey to create fitness and leisure environments that are safe, inclusive, and empowering for all women and girls.
Download the resources from our Safer Spaces to Move website.
