Police Support Female Runners to Enhance Safety
North Wales Police have announced the deployment of officers along popular running routes to improve safety for women and girls. The initiative, named Operation Cadence, was developed by PC Catrin Hughes, a police officer and dedicated runner, with the aim of encouraging women to report harassment or abuse encountered while running.
Research indicates that 68% of women surveyed across the UK have experienced some form of abuse during running activities. This abuse ranges from verbal threats and harassment to physical and sexual assaults, including being flashed at and having objects thrown at them.
Gwen Owen, founder of the social running club Môn Girls Run, described the initiative as a "brilliant" and much-needed plan. Môn Girls Run organizes group 5km (3 mile) runs in several locations including Bangor, Menai Bridge, Holyhead, Wrexham, Llangefni, and Conwy.
"We get beeped at all the time, we get men shouting out of their cars - it's disgusting,"said Gwen, 28, from Anglesey.
She recounted an incident where her running group had to stop because men in a car slowed down to shout abuse at them. On another occasion, a man yelled from his car for the group to "go faster" after he had picked up a "massive pizza" from a nearby takeaway.
Survey Highlights Extent of Abuse
A 2024 University of Manchester survey involving 498 women in the UK revealed that 68% had experienced abuse while running. Nearly one in five respondents (19%) reported being followed during their runs, 7% had been flashed at, and 13% experienced other forms of abuse, including harassment from men in vehicles.
PC Hughes, who has served with North Wales Police since 2022, emphasized the importance of feeling safe while running, especially when alone.
"As a police officer and someone who actively runs, I understand how important it is to feel safe when out running and being active,"she said.
Operation Cadence: Building Community Trust
"Operation Cadence is about building those relationships, running alongside the community, listening to concerns and promoting simple safety measures.
I have worked on the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Rhyl since October 2025 and wanted to find a positive way to engage with the community outside of traditional policing settings."
PC Hughes explained that the operation includes patrols, some conducted in plain clothes, in running hotspot areas. The goal is to raise awareness about harassment and suspicious behavior, encourage reporting, and enable the police to take effective action.
On the evening of Saturday 7 March, North Wales Police officers carried out a plain-clothed patrol run along Rhyl promenade. While no incidents of concern were observed, several vehicles revved their engines as officers passed by.
Barriers to Reporting Abuse
The University of Manchester study also explored reasons why many women do not report abuse encountered while running. Factors included the normalization of public abuse, perceptions that such experiences are part of everyday life, reluctance to waste police time, beliefs that incidents were not criminal offenses, and doubts about police interest or responsiveness.
Gwen Owen reiterated the importance of the new initiative despite some negative online comments.
"Those people don't realise how important it is and how scared women actually are out running.
Even in numbers it's still scary, it's still intimidating,"she said.
Police Commitment to Tackling Harassment
Chief Superintendent Jackie Downes, Head of Local Policing, affirmed the right of every woman to feel safe while running or exercising outdoors.
"Every woman has the right to feel safe when she goes out to run, exercise or simply enjoy her community.
This initiative sends a clear message that harassment and misogyny will not be tolerated, and that women's voices will be heard and acted upon.
By encouraging female runners to report their experiences, we are strengthening our ability to identify offenders, intervene early and protect those at risk.
This work directly supports our force priority of tackling violence against women and girls and reflects our commitment to listening to women, taking reports seriously and holding perpetrators to account."
Currently, North Wales Police is the only force in Wales implementing Operation Cadence. However, all four Welsh police forces support Own the Night, a separate campaign aimed at making running safer for women.
