'I had my bottom grabbed while out on a run' - Leeds women hit out at intimidation while exercising after dark

Anywhere you are in Leeds, if you can't spot someone out on a run, you can at least expect to see someone on their bike.

The city has innumerable running clubs, cycling clubs and various other clubs for sports you may have never even heard of (tag rugby at Roundhay Park,anyone?)

But let's face it, there are already enough excuses not to exercise - cold weather, the nights drawing in, the return of The Apprentice - so do women feel put off exercising outdoors in the evenings by catcalling and threats to their safety?

Hannah Richmond regularly cycles in Leeds, but says it's one of the things which "really put me on edge".

"I regularly cycle to and from work. If you're a woman exercising outside, you're regularly seen as fair game for street harassment.

"This happens with people shouting from their cars at me - commenting on my appearance not my cycling, I should add - or just from other pedestrians (always men).

"The new cycle routes around the city centre are a real positive. However, much like the bus routes, they really take you around some of the most secluded parts of town, including areas where there are a number of homeless people, some of whom are drinking and add to the harassment.

"I've also had the threat of physical violence a couple of times as I'm passing through.

"As is often the case, public planning hasn't been made with women in mind."

Running in Leeds meanwhile presents greater risks, with many women saying they felt particularly vulnerable running along the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

Ellie Colman is an ambassador for Leeds Girls Can, a campaign by Sport England, and is involved in a regular running group.

She said even as a group, women regularly experienced harassment and assault while out on runs.

She said: "One incident involved us running through Chapeltown and a man grabbed my bottom and attempted to do this to another lady who was also running in our group.

"On another occasion, a man ran up behind some ladies and followed them, which was very scary.

"We often get teenage boys or men running with us which is intimidating.

"A lot of women don't run on their own and joined the group specifically because they don't feel safe. Some won't come to the group in winter because they don't feel safe walking or running when it's dark.

"We have to avoid certain routes where we are more likely to get harassed.

"One of my friends has had a man run up to her and pull her headphones out as she ignored him catcalling her. Cars pull up and shout things at people, and we've even had people shouting that women are fat or too slow."

The Leeds Liverpool Canal was considered the place where women were most likely to feel vulnerable while exercising.

Hannah added: "When I do [go running], I tend to run along the canal, so I restrict this to lunchtimes only.

"If there's anywhere I wouldn't go at night alone, it would be the canal area."

A man was jailed in 2010 for raping a woman who had been out jogging along the canal near to Leeds city centre.

David Laing Taylor had grabbed the 23-year-old woman and dragged her into bushes and down the embankment before raping her. A judge described the attack as "every woman's nightmare".

In June 2015, a 39-year-old woman was sexually assaulted while jogging along the canal towpath at Kirkstall. Police said the victim reported being assaulted before being held round the neck until she became unconscious.

And in October 2016, two women aged 48 and 40 were sexually assaulted in the same morning on the towpath at Rodley. The 40-year-old was out running when she was grabbed and dragged to the ground, before managing to fight him off. Another 25-year-old woman out running was also targeted, but managed to get away before getting help from a passer-by.

Alison Ogle, founder and leader at the Farsley Flyers running group, said it was generally recommended to avoid running at night, especially solo, and to run without earphones.

She said: "We have a Facebook page to reach out to others to couple up on runs outside of our club night. I think it's important you should always let someone know where you intend to run and expect to be back.

"Most of our runners wear a smart GPS watch and carry their phone, and I know Strava (run-tracking app) has a great feature where you can set contacts up to get a text message alert when you head out. This means they can live track your run."

But an important message conveyed by many women we spoke to was that 'running doesn't rape women - rapists do'.

One female jogger, who did not want to be named, said it was important not to "default to the assumption that it's women's responsibility to change their day-to-day law-abiding behaviour".

She said: "It's simply wrong to tell women to stop doing something they enjoy because men won’t stop doing something illegal and violent. Running doesn't rape women, nor do headphones, or dark streets, or winter, or being alone.

"Let's name the common denominator here instead.”