Domestic violence victims urged to seek help during Euro – The Irish News

Victims of domestic violence are being urged to seek help as research shows the number of incidents increases during major football tournaments.

As the group stages of Euro 2024 draw to a close, Women’s Aid has launched its ‘He’s Coming Home’ campaign, which aims to shine a light on the darker side of football’s premier championship.

The charity warns that while football is not a cause of domestic abuse, existing incidents may increase around tournaments such as the Euros.

Taking England as an example, research from Lancaster University found that incidents of domestic violence increased by 38% when England lost a match and by 26% when they won or drew.

Another aspect of the campaign as the general election approaches is that violence against women has reached an all-time high amidst the lowest ever funding for women’s services in the UK, which hopefully will help move the issue to a higher priority in program of action to eliminate “intolerable” domestic violence.

In Northern Ireland, police recorded over 32,000 cases of domestic violence in 2023/24, the third highest since records began in 20024/05.

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Teresa Park, from Womens Aid, said: “The Football Championship is a fantastic time for us to come together as a country at a game that many of us love.

“However, for many women and children living with an abuser, major soccer tournaments can be a fearful time.

“While domestic violence is not caused by football, we know that existing violence can become more serious or more frequent during major tournaments. It is very important that we raise awareness of this issue at this crucial time.”

Joanne Barnes, CEO of Nexus, an organisation supporting people affected by sexual exploitation and abusive relationships, said:

“While major sporting events should be an exciting experience, we know this is not the case for everyone and that incidents of domestic violence are on the rise during these tournaments, as has been reported in recent weeks by various organizations across the UK since the start of the Euro 2024 tournament.

“We hope that by highlighting the issue of domestic abuse, more people affected by it will feel validated for their experiences and empowered to come forward, knowing they will be supported. There is never an excuse for inappropriate behavior.”

People experiencing domestic violence are asked to contact the Regional Domestic and Sexual Violence Helpline for Women and Men on 0808 802 1414 or in an emergency, call 101 or 999.