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After launching on 1 November, new talk show It’s A Feminist Thing – which airs every Sunday on SABC2 – will be unpacking various issues that affect South African women.
This week the topic of safety while jogging was discussed by the presenters. Presenters of the talk show are Phinah Kodisang – CEO of the Soul City Institute – veteran broadcaster Kgomotso Matsunyane, Thando Gumede, and Nyiko Shikwambane.
The Soul City Institute, which is linked to the show and aims to advocate and improve the quality of life and health of young women and girls, released an announcement about the perils of taking a simple jog around the block.
The institute’s social media pages send out educational and promotional information on the show before and during the shows airing.
According to Stats SA, 46% of women felt unsafe walking in their neighbourhoods at night.
The Soul City Institute even released a safety checklist. The checklist included wearing baggy clothes, carrying pepper spray and sharing the jogging route.
The show aims to educate the public on issues affecting women in South Africa.
This week’s topic on the show was the question: The patriarchy of running: “How do you prepare for your run? How is safety a factor in your running routine? Let us know. Remember to watch our show tonight at 18h30 on@SABC_2. #theFThing”.
A large number of female viewers responded with issues of discomfort and the danger they had experienced while jogging publicly in South Africa.
Some women commented on the extreme anxiety they experience while running, having to change their route and constantly looking over their shoulders for potentially dangerous men.
One woman said that predators were skilful in planning an attack. Speaking of her experience, she wrote that predators could potentially follow and track their victims’ route for days before striking.
A key factor that was discussed through numerous tweets was the importance of sharing your route with someone at home in case a kidnapping or assault were to occur.
“I literally shake while running, constantly looking behind, every car that passes by I shiver thinking they will grab me,” said one viewer.
Another viewer shared: “I even stopped running. Sometimes I change routes randomly cause my brain would say ‘not this one’.”
Some male viewers weighed in, saying that no one should have to live like this and how attacks had negatively affected women in their lives.
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