Erasmus+ · Co-funded by the European Union
Creating safe environments for women to exercise and participate in sport
ExerSafe works with sport clubs and fitness centres to make their spaces safe and welcoming for women, from the grassroots to the competitive level. What we build starts from research into what women actually need.
Why it matters
What the data shows
of women do not meet the minimum recommendations for physical activity.
have felt watched, disturbed or uncomfortable in gyms and sport facilities.
Source: European data on women's physical activity and the CARE report on gender-based violence in sport (2021).
About the project
Improving how safe women feel in sport
ExerSafe sets out to improve the safety, and the feeling of safety, of sport spaces for women, and to help them take up physical activity and stick with it. It does this by helping clubs and centres become free from harassment and gender-sensitive by design.
It starts from the Montenegrin context and builds on solid research into what women need, then gives sport organisations and institutions the tools to change their policies and build spaces that feel safe and comfortable for everyone.
The project pushes for new policies for women in sport spaces, at the grassroots and the competitive level alike.
Our aims
Where we focus
Three areas of work, all pointing at the same outcome: more women taking part in sport, and feeling safe while they do.
Participation
Getting more women into sport and physical activity, and helping them stay.
Capacity building
Training grassroots coaches, managers and club staff to build gender-equal spaces.
Positive values
Using sport to promote equality, inclusion and positive social values.
Objectives
What the project sets out to do
Analyse the needs of women regarding feelings of safety and comfort in spaces for physical activity.
Create learning opportunities for professionals in the sport and fitness field on how to build more gender-equal spaces.
Deliver guidelines for stakeholders on gender equality in sport and fitness spaces, and on how to prevent and act against harassment.
Promote participation through mixed training and education sessions designed to boost confidence and foster positive social relationships.
Test the strategies built during the project in real clubs and fitness centres, to see what actually works.
The partners
Four organisations, three countries
An Olympic committee, a European think tank, a research hub and a fitness operator, working together on gender-equal sport.
Make the change
Make your sport facility more gender-equal
ExerSafe brings research, training and practical guidelines to clubs, gyms and federations working towards fairer, safer sport.
