Research indicates domestic abuse incidents increase during football tournaments, including violence on children.

A spokesperson at the NSPCC said: “During the last World Cup in 2018, our Helpline - which takes calls from adults concerned about children - delivered 1,060 child welfare contacts about domestic abuse, a 33% increase on the monthly average for that year.

“And Childline saw a 17% increase on the monthly average for the number of counselling sessions delivered to children and young people about domestic abuse."

The children's charity is using the World Cup to raise awareness and is calling for the Government to bring Victims Bill before Parliament to ensure specialist support is available for all children impacted by domestic abuse.

Jess* shared her experience of the ’98 World Cup and the physical abuse from her father during that time: “I remember him dragging me into a barn behind the pub and threatening me one day – all while keeping up the ‘nice guy’ persona with the other men in the pub.”

The charity Women's Aid also launched a campaign highlighting the risks women and children may face in the aftermath of matches.

A spokesperson for FearLess, a domestic abuse charity based in Trowbridge said:

“The Wiltshire Service previously recorded its highest referral numbers during the last European Championships.

“As we are still in World Cup Season, it is difficult to assess the impact on our service currently.

“FearLess are clear that football does not ‘cause’ domestic abuse but it may act as a trigger and increases risk.

“Statistics suggest domestic abuse incidents increase 26% when England play and by as much as 38% if England loses.”

Last year a research by the London School of Economics showed that the peak in domestic abuse could have a causality link to alcohol consumption.

Researcher Anna Trendel explained: “Our results show a 47% increase in the number of reported alcohol-related domestic abuse cases on days when the England team wins in these tournaments and an 18% increase on days after an England match.

“We found no increase in the number of non-alcohol-related domestic abuse cases on England match days.”

In this paper, Trendel concluded: “The exact mechanism by which national football victories leads to an increase in the number of domestic abuse cases is evidently complex, and much of this remains unexplored.

“What this evidence shows us is that alcohol plays a key role in this relationship.”

FearLess’s advice in case of abuse is to “seek help – pick up the phone.”

A spokesperson said: “In an emergency situation, please ring 999.

"We think it is really important that people know how to do a ‘silent solution’ phone call.

“Pressing 55 after dialling 999 from a mobile phone leads the call operator to transfer the call to the local police, allowing those in danger to get help without having to speak.

“In a non-emergency situation, our service is available Monday to Friday 9-5 and we will listen, not judge and work with the individual to access the right support for them.”

Both these campaigns are running in concordance with both the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and Wiltshire and Swindon organisations' 16 days of action to highlight what financial abuse can look like in a relationship.

 

*name changed by NSPCC