Members of Môn Girls Run, a women-only running group based on Anglesey, have spoken out about persistent harassment they face from men while exercising at night, including being yelled at from cars and followed during group runs in Bangor, Gwynedd. The group's founder, Gwen Owen, has used social media to highlight the problem and call for change, describing the behaviour as "intimidating" despite the runners wearing high-visibility clothing and lights. According to BBC News, North Wales Police officers have joined runs with the group and witnessed the harassment firsthand, with registration plates being recorded.
Owen, 28, from Anglesey, established Môn Girls Run after experiencing anxiety about running alone during winter months. "I was running by myself for about six months, but then it started getting dark and I thought it was a bit scary going out on my own," she explained. After discovering similar groups operating in Manchester and Liverpool, she launched her own initiative on Anglesey, which attracted around six to eight women to its first outing.
Why is a women-only running group necessary?
Owen argues that female runners should not need to join a group to feel safe, yet for many this has become unavoidable. Research cited by Welsh Athletics found that 93% of women surveyed by Our Streets Now had experienced public sexual harassment while running, and 72% of UK women alter their outdoor activity routines during winter months. "That's why the group is so important," Owen said. "Female runners should not have to join a group in order to feel safe, but for many, that has become inevitable."
How widespread is the harassment?
Owen reports that harassment has become so normalised that it risks being dismissed as trivial.
"This shouldn't be normalised. Because that's what's happening right now. People say, 'just ignore it, everything will be fine'. When I go for long runs on my own it happens much more often than people realise. I've had the same car pass me about five times before."During a recent 5K run in Bangor, men shouted and whistled at the group from car windows. Members have also been followed by men running alongside them.
"We're all glowing, we're in hi-vis, we had our lights on - we wanted to own the night - and we still got harassed."
The constant vigilance required takes an emotional toll.
"We're always looking around and checking behind us. We just want to be left alone and enjoy running."Owen added:
"Just leave us alone - let us run. What can we do? What more can we do to stop this? To have the safe, empowering space that we need."
What campaign prompted the Bangor run?
The Bangor 5K was part of Ein Nos Ni – Our Night, a campaign launched by Welsh Athletics to encourage women to run together on the 25th of each month and raise awareness about women's safety. The 2025 campaign involved 60 clubs and groups organising 77 runs, with more than 2,000 participants, along with 12 police engagement sessions and three webinars attended by 223 people, according to Welsh Athletics. Owen noted that despite the event's intention to empower women to exercise safely in larger numbers, harassment still occurred.
"The evening was intended to empower women to go out and do things safely, but even when we are in a large group, it still happens."
What is being done to address the problem?
North Wales Police has launched Operation Cadence, an initiative specifically designed to tackle harassment of female runners and encourage incident reporting. PC Catrin Hughes, who established the scheme, stated:
"As a police officer and someone who runs often, I understand how important it is to feel safe while running. Operation Cadence aims to build relationships, run alongside the community, listen to concerns and promote simple safety measures."The initiative includes patrols on popular running routes, with plain-clothed officers joining runs to help identify offenders and build community trust.
The campaign has gained momentum, with Welsh Athletics reporting that on 25 October 2026, more than 2,000 runners participated in Own The Night events, with over 60 clubs hosting runs across 47 locations throughout Wales.
