A women’s safety fun run in Alice Springs saw several female participants report assaults during the event, with organisers left deeply shocked and dismayed.
The Take Back the Track event’s purpose was to raise funds for 200 personal safety alarms for women in the region after several attacks against women have occurred in the past two weeks. Around 150 people attended and around $3000 was raised for female runner safety.
On Wednesday, Northern Territory police were notified of the assault allegations, and organisers are encouraging participants to contact authorities if they experienced or witnessed any inappropriate behaviour on the day.
It’s been reported by the ABC that a group of four to eight children and teenagers were moving along the track where the run was taking place and engaged in inappropriate physical contact with women.
In one reported incident, Alice Springs resident Amiuus Lennie told the ABC he saw a young person slap a woman on the bottom.
The event itself was planned after an incident last week where a woman reported being indecently assaulted while running along the Todd River by a man riding a bike. Three other women alleged similar offending on the same day, and police have since arrested a 14-year-old male in relation to the incidents.
The Take Back the Track safety run on Wednesday ran along the same track to ‘take it back’ from male violence, but following the new reports of assaults, one of the event organisers, Morgana Garland-Fernandez described it as “whiplash” and wants women to be able to “feel safe to run and exercise in public spaces without a second thought”.
Last month, another incident occurred in Alice Springs where a woman reported being followed by a man who threw rocks at her and her dog. NT Police are investigating this incident.
Take Back the Track
The Take Back the Track campaign was first launched at the start of 2025 to bring awareness to the safety of women and gender diverse people running alone in Australia. It has grown substantially since then, with events for women’s safety being run across the country.
Campaign founder Sissy Austin, a Peek Woorroong Keerraay Woorroong Djab Wurrung First Nations woman living on Dja Dja Wurrung country started the movement after herself being violently attacked near her home in Ballarat.
A year later, in the same area, Samantha Murphy went missing on a solo run, and a man was charged with her murder in March.
“Samantha Murphy had a right to go for a run and return home, she had a right to freedom and safety whilst running and Samantha not returning home to her family and community is a national disgrace,” said the Take Back the track group.
Speaking of her own experience and drive to create change, Austin said her attack could have stolen her love for running, but it didn’t.
““I believe I survived my running attack so I could rise and fight. I run to say enough is enough and to ensure that my love for running is never stolen from me, stolen from us. I run to show my community that we can heal collectively and in an empowering way.”
“The love women and gender-diverse people have for running is worthy of fighting for and worthy of being protected.”