Sports
Our vision is a society where women, girls and people of marginalised genders can participate in sport free from public sexual harassment, intimidation or limiting gender stereotypes. From working out in gyms, to running on the streets, playing in clubs or attending matches or sports events, be it grassroots or elite, we all deserve to feel safe.
The sports industry must be equipped to challenge harassment, oppression and prejudice. Everyone in the sports industry needs to step up to be better bystanders, to support those who experience it and to never become perpetrators of this everyday violence. Right now, this goal couldn’t be further from the truth and that’s where our Sports campaign comes in.
The Problem
A 2024 OSN survey found that a staggering 70% of people had experienced PSH in a sports or exercise context.
The most commonly reported experiences were persistent staring, comments of a sexual or inappropriate nature, being followed or lingering too close and suspected filming or taking of photographs. Only 10.8% felt ‘very safe’ from harassment or intimidation when exercising.
Llanelli Weightlifting Academy X Our Streets Now
We sat down with Betsan, Ela, Ny and Cari to talk about their experiences of being female weightlifters, the harassment and limiting gender stereotypes they experience and what support they get from Llanelli Weightlifting Academy as young girls. Watch what they had to say…
What do we offer?
If you're looking for free, downloadable policy templates for different sporting settings our free downloadable toolkit accompanies our training sessions and offers top tips, further reading and advice to help your club become more inclusive.
If you want CPD accredited training for your staff, coaches, and players we can offer you sessions covering...
What PSH looks like in a sporting context
Why this happens
Responding to disclosures
Best practice reporting and policy procedures
How to respond to incidents of PSH
How to engage young men and boys
What effective allyship looks like
If you're looking to get in touch about keynote speakers, consultants, media requests get in touch with us for above queries and all things PSH and gender inequality in sports at hello@ourstreetsnow.org
Our Ambassadors
“I’ve been a long time follower of OSN and have always admired their tireless passion and the incredibly valuable work they have done across multiple areas.
As an elite athlete and someone who is passionate about ensuring exercise and sport are safer spaces for women, the results from the OSN survey are deeply concerning. The sheer number of women who have reported sexual harassment while exercising, and just how many have had to make adjustments to their exercising habits because of this is a clear indicator that something more needs to be done. That’s why I’m so pleased that OSN are launching this campaign which aims to educate, create policy and ultimately change the landscape, and therefore create a safer future for women and girls who want to exercise and participate in sport.”
Charlotte Henshaw MBE
Paracanoe Paralympic Champion, eight-time World Champion and two-time Paralympic Swimming Medalist. Charlotte is the first ambassador for our sports campaign, passionate about creating safer and more inclusive spaces for women and girls to participate in sport.
“Our Streets Now are fighting tirelessly every day for the safety of women, girls and marginalised genders. Through raising awareness and offering education, they’re making huge inroads towards real change, both in our communities and in parliament. It’s my honour to begin working with the team to unpick, learn, and support their mission. I’m extremely proud and excited to be Our Streets Now’s first male ambassador. Through my career as a rower, in teams from university right through to Olympic level, as a student, athlete and coach, I’ve seen how great a need there is to challenge, call out, educate and support boys and men to reduce sexual harassment. I’m not perfect; I can think of many instances where I could have done better. But I’m committed to doing the work; to play my part in making our communities safer for women and girls, and also to help others to do the work within their own settings and lives too”
Alan Sinclair
GB Olympic rower with three World Rowing Championships medals, two European Championships medals and a fourth-place finish in the Men’s Pair at Rio 2016, and former Director of Rowing and a rowing coach at St Andrews University in Scotland.
Testimonies
“The staff couldn’t stop talking about what they had learnt and what our next steps might be. I had a number of comments about it being the best staff training day we’ve had.”
“I’ve had conversations with our young athletes since your visit that I know wouldn’t have happened without the work you did.”
