CNN Cites “Startling” Number of Women Harassed While Jogging, Prompting Women Everywhere to Ask, “Startling to Whom?”

CNN published a survey this week, conducted by Runner’s World, which details the amount of harassment female runners experience. The author and/or headline writer called the prevalence of harassment towards women joggers “startling.” To which pretty much every woman reading that headline replied:

Startling to whom? https://t.co/etPOxozbM0

— June Diane Raphael (@MsJuneDiane) August 24, 2018

I’m not sure what statistic could have actually been startling in this context. I don’t think I would have been startled if it was 100%.

This is only startling if you’re not a woman but sure https://t.co/vJmy5vZ33E

— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) August 24, 2018

What’s startling about this is that people are surprised.

— Stephanie Keegan (@warsnotover) August 24, 2018

Startling to men who don’t listen to women.

— HaveWeMet (@Begin_Again4) August 24, 2018

This was clearly written by a man.

— valeriemartin (@valeriemartin) August 24, 2018

(Spoiler: It was.)

In fact, the number of women who reported being harassed while running was startling, in that the number given–43%–seems startlingly low. By comparison, 4% of men reported being harassed while jogging.

Additionally, 30% of women surveyed said they have been followed while running (by a person in a car, bicycle or on foot), 18% said they have been sexually propositioned, and 5% said they have been flashed. 54% of women said they worried about their physical safety while running or preparing to run.

The 2016 survey was published by CNN yesterday in the wake of the murder of Mollie Tibbetts, who went missing while out for her regular evening run. In this article, the author writes that “there’s a world of difference between catcalls or wolf whistles and the fatal violence that befell Mollie Tibbetts.”

But is there? Only 3% of the women surveyed here report being physically assaulted while running, but for every woman who is yelled at, followed, or otherwise harassed, we never know if that encounter will be one of the 3%. And dismissing harassment as commonplace or inevitable or just words only allows that 3% to happen.

TRY AGAIN, DAVE pic.twitter.com/Vuzjmm5ncs

— andrea grimes (@andreagrimes) August 24, 2018

CNN’s article is full of quotes from women explaining what they do to avoid harassment, and what they do to keep harassment from escalating. And the comments on the article are full of men explaining to women what they should be doing, and letting those women know that they don’t think there’s any solution to that harassment.

Ladies! Have you considered carrying a gun while running? How about running in a full flak suit? Why not cover yourself in knives before leaving the house?

People will suggest that women roll to work in an iron lung before they’ll tell men to not harass anybody.

— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) August 24, 2018

The solution to street harassment is likely a long way off, but surely it starts with people finally taking it seriously, no?

Mollie Tibbetts was murdered b/c she told a man to leave her alone while she was jogging. Her murderer happens to be undocumented. This isn’t about border security. This is about toxic masculinity. Mollie Tibbetts lost her life b/c a man couldn’t take her saying no. Full stop.

— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) August 22, 2018

(image: Tirachard Kumtanom from Pexels)

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