The European Championship (known as the Euros) starts mid- June 2024, and research from the National Centre for Domestic Violence reveals that domestic abuse incidents increase by 26% when our national team plays, 38% if they lose, and 11% the day after, regardless of the outcome.
Here at My Sisters’ House Women’s Centre, we are expecting to see a rise in the number of self-identifying women experiencing domestic abuse, which is driven by emotional stress, alcohol consumption and betting activities before and during the football games.
We want to highlight that watching football does not cause abuse, but in relationships where abuse is already present, international football games can can trigger it.
What is domestic abuse?
It is any incident or pattern of controlling, coercive, or threating behaviours, violence, or abuse between intimate partners or family members ages 16 or over, regardless of gender or sexuality.
Where can I get help?
You can contact the Domestic Abuse Helpline 24 hours a day, all-year-round on 0808 2000247.
In an emergency you should always dial 999. If you are worried that an abuser may overhear your call you can remain silent, tap the phone and dial 55 when prompted by the operator who will send help.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired you can register with emergencySMS.net. Once registered you will be able to send a text to 999 if you require help in an emergency.
If you are in the Arun or Chichester district and would like to contact us, you can ring My Sisters’ House on 01243 697800 (Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm). Or email
office @mysistershouse.info, with your name, contact details, postcode and date of birth, and someone from our specialist triage team will contact you back.