Hi, I’m Claire and I’m running over 3500km in 230 countries to peacefully end sexual violence. 53 countries already. Come & Run with me!
Claire McFarlane is a South African-Australian Adventurer, Survivor, Advocate and Ambassador for Peace.
“On 18 July 2016, I set-off from Bloubergstrand, South Africa with the goal to run 3500 kilometres of beach across 230 countries over five years to raise awareness and support for survivors of sexual violence. It’s called Footsteps To Inspire.I have already travelled alone to 32 countries and run on 33 beaches.Footsteps To Inspire is a world first, both as an expedition and social cause.Nothing about this journey is easy, but what adventure isn’t? In every country, I hear stories of horror and sometimes stories of hope. My purpose is to share my story and use this journey to highlight an issue that affects 1 in 4 women, 1 in 6 men and 230 million children every year.WHY AM I DOING THIS?I began this epic social adventure in response to my own personal trauma. In 1999, I was brutally raped and left for dead on the streets of Paris. My attacker was caught 10 years later through DNA. What followed was a long, costly struggle through the French justice system that only ended in October 2015. The ordeal lasted 16 years.I chose to open up about my story in 2014 and was surprised by how many survivors reached out to me from all over the world – women, men and even children. Each one with a different story of sexual violence. Many breaking their silence for the very first time. I realised how deeply this issue is affecting the world and how many people still suffer in silence. I knew then that my story had a bigger purpose. This sparked Footsteps To Inspire.”
