Why The ‘Run Like A Girl’ Trend Is So Important

Last week Ruth Coppinger, a member of the Irish socialist party and one of the leaders for repeal the eight, stood in the Dáil to propose a motion on gender based violence and how growing of an issue it is.

Ruth took to social media stating, “With gender violence at epidemic levels and survivors continually re-traumatised by the unjust, misogynistic and paternalising justice system, it is vital that we pressure TDs to support this motion.”

Only one representative from government was present during this motion.

 

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It has been three years since the tragic death of Ashling Murphy, the twenty three year old Irish primary school teacher who was murdered in January of 2022 while jogging in Tullamore Co. Offaly. Throughout the last five years alone our country has lost thirty seven women to femicide, intentional killing with a gender based motive.

According to Women’s Aid “35% of women in Ireland, more than one in three, have now experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual abuse from an intimate partner.” These statistics alone are enough cause for a change to be made within Ireland for the safety of Irish women and girls.

The lack of attendance in the Dáil last Wednesday is proof that government are choosing to disengage with the severity of this topic. Another statistic from Ulster University states that “98% of women in Northern Ireland have experienced at least one form of violence or abuse in their lifetime, with half (50%) experiencing this before they were 11 years old.” The island we live on is going through an epidemic of domestic and gender based violence.

 

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The topic of domestic and gender violence has been prominent within public discourse recently due to the rise in cases in Northern Ireland and throughout the world in general. There was a recent discovery in Georgia, US of a human egg farm where women from Thailand were deceived into flying to America for a job opportunity, only to find themselves enslaved and forced to produce eggs that were sold to couples who wanted to have a baby, a real life Handmaid’s Tale.

According to Women’s Aid, “Women are over twice as likely as men to have experienced severe physical abuse, seven times more likely to have experienced sexual abuse, and are more likely to experience serious injuries than men.” These statistics are a factual representation of all of the 2.6 million women in Ireland’s greatest fear.

Women are afraid to walk outside without company come nightfall, they turn the volume down on their earphones or don’t wear them at all so they can be alert of their surroundings, their location is on for their friends 24/7, they carry keys between their fingers, mouth spray in their bags and fear in their hearts.

There has been a trend on TikTok and other social media platforms recently labelled ‘Run like a girl’. The aim of the trend began as a way of highlighting how as children we are taught that ‘running like a girl’ is to run weakly, however running like a girl could not be more different. The trend involves women from all around the world explaining their own personal experience of having to run like a girl, or should I say, run for their lives.

@niamhoconnnor

I ran & never looked back!

♬ Originalton – ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

The trend is highlighting global domestic and gender based violence issues and is supporting the strength of women who find the power to get out of those situations. Within the videos we hear a song by Paris Paloma called ‘Labour’ which has been described as “an anthem for female rage”.

The song discusses the physical, mental and emotional labour that women have faced for generations and addresses gender inequalities within domestic settings. The lyrics, for many, have represented the anger of inhabitating in an abusive relationship and the fear to leave the same situation. Paris told Dork magazine, “I wanted to write a song about the power of women learning from each other”. Little did she know she would achieve her goal and more.

@emsterfitness Feb 2020 will never be the same. You can’t tell me that all those years later it doesn’t haunt me. #survivor #runlikeagirl #relatable #domesticviolencesurvivor ♬ Originalton – ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

The women who are sharing their personal stories within and outside of this trend are so important. Not only are they empowering women in similar positions to speak up and also leave their situation, they are also normalising the conversation around domestic and gender based violence.

It is because of the courage of these women that motions like the gender-based violence one that Ruth Coppinger proposed are being heard. Coppinger’s motion aims to provide a judicial process that is less traumatising for victims.

The motion calls that the Government treat gender-based violence cases as an epidemic, that there will be an ending to hearing character references prior to sentencing, victim confidentiality will be protected and that legislation will be emplaced to prevent any of the victims’ records within therapy or counselling services to be used by the accused and their defence team.

The struggle for gender equality and the fight to end gender based and domestic violence is a long and painful journey, one that is built on the backs of strong women who are courageous enough to share their stories with the world.

If you feel you are in a situation you need to get out of Women’s Aid have a national freephone helpline which is available 24/7, call 1800 341 900.