As millions of England football fans gear up for their country’s 2018 World Cup semi-final game against Croatia on Wednesday, there are thousands of women and children in abusive homes who probably are preparing for the worst.
As millions of England football fans gear up for their country’s 2018 World Cup semi-final game against Croatia on Wednesday, there are thousands of women and children in abusive homes who probably are preparing for the worst.
During big tournaments like World Cup, it has been reported that domestic violence shoot up and according to reports, British emergency services expect abuse to spike following Thursday’s game, especially if England loses.
Going into England’s encounter against Croatia, a shocking photo campaign from the UK’s National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) was launched ahead of the match, with the tagline, “If England gets beaten, so will she.”
According to researchers, domestic violence figures from England’s games in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups found domestic abuse’s incidents rose by 38 per cent when the England team lost and increased by 26 per cent where England won or drew, compared with days when there was no England match.
The researchers from UK’s Lancaster University also found out that there was a carry-over effect too, with incidents of domestic abuse 11 per cent higher the day after an England match.
One of such stories was carried by Elle magazine. A woman identified only as Lucy narrated how she nd her autistic brother Jonny were abused by their father during the 2006 World Cup, when England lost against Portugal in the quarterfinals. At the time, Lucy was 10 and Jonny was 8.
“Lucy wasn’t just scared of an England defeat, she was scared for her life,” wrote Elle’s Hannah Price.
“When the game against Portugal kicked off, they were hiding in their room – like they tried to be every England game – anxiously awaiting the sound of a win or a loss. If England beat Portugal, everything might be okay. If they’re lucky, they may even get ice cream, because if his team won, Lucy’s dad would be on top of the world.
“Those who followed the 2006 tournament will know that the game ended in a red card, penalties and bitter disappointment for England, but for Lucy and her brother it was just the beginning of a night that descended into terror.”
Apparently, post England’s loss in the penalty shootouts in 2006, Lucy’s father stormed off outside to a pub. When he returned, he had a black eye before he turned on Lucy and her brother.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Domestic Violence campaign")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}