New Nottinghamshire scheme protecting women in gyms generating national interest

The cutting-edge Safer Gyms concept is being watched closely by world champion kickboxer Emma Dolan who has given her backing to the scheme.

Attending the gym is a key part of many people's lives to stay fit and healthy, however it can often become an uncomfortable environment for women choosing to exercise alone or with friends.

Women have reported being stared at whilst exercising, receiving unsolicited advice on how to use equipment, being asked uncomfortable personal questions and even being photographed or recorded without consent.

This led local partners brought together by Newark’s Safer Streets project to develop the Safer Gyms scheme, aimed at delivering bespoke training to the staff of gyms and leisure centres across Newark to improve awareness and analyse where changes could be made to improve feelings of safety.

So far three local fitness organisations have signed up and will become a member of Safer Gyms once they have met the requirements.

These include NG24 Fitness, Fosse Way Crossfit, and two Active4Today leisure centres in Newark and Southwell.

The venues have received an on-site assessment which involves a review of areas such as:

• The layout of equipment and types of equipment available.

• The availability of staff and their level of engagement with members.

• The level of privacy for members taking part in classes.

• Types of signage and information on display.

How this scheme was made possible

The ability to develop this pilot scheme in Newark has been made possible after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire secured £3 million of Home Office funding for Safer Streets projects that help reduce neighbourhood crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as violence against women and girls.

It is being delivered in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police and Newark and Sherwood District Council.

“This idea was born after one of our Safer Streets project managers had an experience in the gym that made her feel incredibly uncomfortable”, said Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry.

She added: “She had noticed that whilst exercising a man in the gym had been taking pictures of her.

“I’m really pleased to see this kind of behaviour is being tackled head-on via our Safer Gyms scheme.

“I know that far too often women and girls can be made to feel uncomfortable when exercising alone, gyms should be a safe space for women and not places that they are made to feel unsafe, and I’m proud that we began this innovative scheme right here in Nottinghamshire.

“The organisations who have completed the training so far have had such a positive experience.

“They have taken away lots of positive changes to make to their gyms safer for women and the scheme has given their staff a higher level of alertness at spotting when women are receiving unwanted attention.”

An anonymous online survey was designed to gather information on women’s experiences within the fitness industry.

It was open for all Nottinghamshire residents, with a total of 488 responses – as 135 women said they had an uncomfortable experience or interaction at a gym.