The police have issued warnings of a potential increase in domestic violence amid the excitement of the Euros this summer.
The England team has topped Group C after goalless finish against Slovenia, and have reached the knockout stage of the tournament. Rowdy fans were seen throwing cups at the game – after police have alerted of the possibility of a spike in domestic incidents. Ahead of the quarter finals, where England are planned to go head to head with Switzerland.
Figures have shown that there was a 38% rise in domestic violence when England lost a game between 2002 and 2010, and a 26% rise when they won, the National Police Chiefs’ Council claims a study from Lancaster University found.
Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, NPCC lead for domestic abuse, spoke to reporters at New Scotland Yard on Friday saying: “It is an incredibly sad reality that football tournaments mean an increased risk of domestic abuse for many victims across the UK.”
Ms Rolfe also cited findings by Sussex Police during the 2022 world cup, which showed that 999 calls relating to domestic abuse had “doubled” during match days.
She said: “I’m keen to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are aware of the support available to them, encouraged to report to police, and that every perpetrator is held to account. Domestic abuse makes up 11% of all calls to emergency services and more than 30% of violent incidents reported to the police. Domestic abuse is not a gendered crime, but women are disproportionately victims,” she said.”
When asked by ITV News what measures the police plan to use during the tournament to ensure women’s safety, Ms Rolfe said they wanted to work closely with charities to make sure victims are aware that they are able to come forward.
“We want to work out who the abusers are that we want to manage and we’ll be using domestic violence protection orders and restraint orders to do so throughout the tournament.
“Sussex Police are organising joint patrols, where officers responding to incidents will have an independent domestic violence advocate with them so that the victim has many options available to them.”
Teresa Parker, head of media at the charity Women’s Aid, said that women and their children staying at refuges would not want to have the TV on during England games because of their past experiences. This comes after Women’s Aid held a rally at Parliament Square on Tuesday, calling for the next government to ‘end violence against women and girls once and for all’.
“For so many families it triggers the feeling that something worse might happen,” Ms Parker told reporters,“I spoke to three women whose partners love football and were abusive in long-term relationships. Football was a trigger.”