As of the end of 2022, 9.9 million people in the UK – around 14% of the population – held a gym membership. In recent years, issues around harassment in the gym have become more widely discussed. Unfortunately, it is still an issue gym-goers have to endure.
In order to reveal the differences in people’s gym experiences, the UK’s leading flexible gym pass provider Hussle has surveyed over 2,400 UK gym goers.
The results show a split between the experiences of men and women in the gym and exposes the differences between age groups and locations around the UK.
According to the research 18% of women have felt harassed or intimidated by other gym members, compared to 9% of men. Overall in Greater London, 1 in 7 (13%) of people had experienced feeling this way.
Additionally, 14% of those in London and the surrounding areas had felt pressured to change what they were wearing in the gym to avoid unwanted intimidation.
Although 83% of people surveyed in Greater London agreed that the gym is not a suitable environment to approach a stranger and ask them out on a date, 17% subsequently thought it was a good place to ask people out, which was the highest in the UK. UK-wide it was slightly more common for men to think that it was acceptable (14%), compared to women (11%).
When it came to reporting any negative experiences, over two thirds (67%) of respondents in Greater London said they would feel comfortable doing so. However, the research revealed that age was the biggest factor when it came to having the confidence to speak to staff. Those aged 16 – 20 were least likely to report unwanted attention to staff (66%), compared to 82% of those in the 51 – 60 age range.
Jamie Ward, CEO of Hussle, said: “The disparity in experiences at gyms across the UK that our research has found is disappointing. By shining a light on this issue, the aim has to be for gyms to become a more comfortable environment for all and a place where gym goers have the confidence to call out unwanted attention if they do experience it. Addressing these issues will surely help to grow exercise participation in gyms and health clubs across the UK.”
