Women organise protest walk after two attacks in Aarhus forest

Three women are organising an evening protest walk through Riis Skov, a forest and recreational area in Aarhus, after two women were attacked there within three months. DR reported that police are investigating whether the attacks are connected.

Sofie Fürsterling Mønster, who regularly walks her dog in the forest, said the attacks had made her feel uneasy about going there at dusk. She described Riis Skov as a safe refuge in the city and said she wanted to help people reclaim the right to feel safe in public spaces.

The walk is scheduled for Wednesday at 7pm. Participants will pass the locations where the women were attacked before ending at Den Permanente, a bathing place, where the group plans to shout out over the sea.

Psychology student Lærke Kyed Reese Andersen said she had started limiting her runs to daylight, although she had previously felt safe walking by the water after dark.

Police have received further calls from women who said they felt unsafe, but no new incidents have been reported. East Jutland Police said the two attacks remain under investigation and advised anyone who feels uneasy walking alone to arrange to go with others. People with relevant information can call 114.

Fürsterling Mønster said her family has avoided Aarhus Botanical Garden after dark for generations because of a series of rapes there, the most recent in 2024. She said she did not want fear to have the same effect on women’s use of Riis Skov.