The guide was developed in partnership between ukactive and the This Girl Can campaign / Shutterstock.com / Krakenimages.com

UK Active and This Girl Can have published a new guide to help fitness and leisure facilities communicate their policies and procedures around sexual harassment and intimidation, as the sector continues to create safer spaces for women and girls.

 The guide, launched today on the ‘Safer Spaces to Move’ resource hub, covers a range of practical examples and tips to improve communication with gym members – helping to build trust and confidence, and ensuring everyone feels informed, welcomed and respected. Titled ‘From Policy to Practice: How to Share Your Stance Against Harassment in Your Facility’, the guidance includes support on:

• How to communicate clearly to visitors and members that sexual harassment and intimidation are not tolerated in facilities.
• How operators can ensure that visitors and members know how to report any concerns, what will happen next if they do, and what support is available to them.
• How to build trust and confidence with their visitors and members in an operator’s policies and training so more members feel able to report issues should they arise.

The guide was developed in partnership between UK Active and the This Girl Can campaign, run by Sport England.

This included consultation with the Safer Spaces to Move Taskforce, which is made up of representatives from across the industry, including operators of all sizes, from the public and private sectors.

Its development was informed by a series of focus groups with women and men to put members’ voices first, providing in-depth insight into what members expect from operator communications, and how messaging can best build trust, convey safety and strengthen confidence.

The guide has been designed for operators across the physical activity sector and is set to be utilised at all levels within an organisation, from the operations teams to marketing and member communications. It follows the publication of resources in July 2025 which covered a range of guidance and staff training modules to ensure operators have the foundational protocols in place to respond to any instances of sexual harassment and intimidation.

Clear progress has been made since the Safer Spaces to Move project began in 2021, with facility operators embracing its proactive, prevention-first approach. In 2022*, less than half of female gym users (46 per cent) were aware that their centre had a code of conduct or safety policies, while 15 per cent of women who did not report an incident of harassment or intimidation said it was because they did not know who to report it to. 

Today, awareness has increased, with nearly two thirds**(63 per cent) of women aged 16-34 aware their centre has a code of conduct. 

Gyms, pools and leisure centres play an essential role in supporting women and girls to be active. The latest UK Health & Fitness Market Report shows that 11.5 million people over the age of 16 are members of a health and fitness club.

Sport England’s latest Active Lives Survey showed that fitness activities among women and girls aged 16 and over have seen the largest growth across all types of activity from the previous year (1.9 per cent) – with 7.7 million women having taken part at least twice in the previous 28 days. This figure has grown by almost 1.4 million since the Safer Spaces to Move project launched in 2021 and participation by women in fitness activities in public sector leisure facilities specifically has increased by 12 per cent in the past 12 months.

Hattie Jones, Head of Membership and Sector Development at UK Active, said: “This guide is another step forward in the sector’s commitment to ensure that every woman and girl feels informed, confident and empowered to use the broad range of services within our nation’s gyms, pools and leisure centres.

“Given the growing demand our sector sees from women and girls and the popularity of these services, it is vital that all facilities play their part in addressing the societal issues of sexual harassment and intimidation.

“We are proud to work with This Girl Can and the dedicated Taskforce to develop this practical resource, which gives operators practical examples and ideas to reassure and support new and existing members to feel confident and safe.”

Claire Edwards, Head of Campaign Activation from This Girl Can, said: “Every part of society has a duty to prevent harassment against women and girls. With millions of women and girls using gyms and leisure centres, the fitness sector must be ready to tackle harassment and intimidation, and today’s launch reaffirms our commitment to helping gyms and leisure centres put stronger safety standards into action.

“Preventing harassment before it happens is just as crucial as responding when it does. Only by ensuring women feel safe and confident when getting active, can we truly progress This Girl Can’s aim to tackle the gender activity gap.”

Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said: “Women and girls have the right to go to fitness facilities to work out, keep active and have fun without being intimidated or harassed.

“As a Government, we are committed to building a healthier nation by making physical activity truly accessible and welcoming to all, and these guidelines will play a vital role in ensuring gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools are equipped to play their part.”

Jill Davidson, Head of Marketing, Communications & Sales at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “Our participation in the Safer Spaces to Move Taskforce has further strengthened our commitment to vigilance and continuous improvement [to combatting harassment and intimidation].

“The project has provided us with fresh perspectives and practical tools, enhancing our staff’s confidence and deepening organisational understanding of how to maintain proactive safety measures.

“We have reviewed and refined our practices, ensuring that our approach to safeguarding remains robust and responsive, and that women and girls always feel safe, respected, and empowered in our centres.”

To access the new guide, visit the Safer Spaces to Move resource hub here.

To hear from two UK Active Members about how they are set to use the guide, read the blog here.

*Research carried out in 2022 by Walnut Unlimited, commissioned by UK Active and Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign. 
** Sport England – Activity Check-in Wave 20 (Jan 2026) – Issues of safety and harassment in leisure settings.