CLOSE to half of women soccer fans in England and Wales have personally experienced sexist or misogynistic abuse at matches but most have never reported it to authorities, a new study by anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out revealed on Wednesday (11).
Wolf-whistling, being questioned about their knowledge of the rules and persistent badgering were some of the forms of sexist behaviour experienced by the 1,502 people surveyed, of whom 7 per cent said they had been touched inappropriately, 3 per cent were victims of physical violence and 2 per cent sexually assaulted or harassed.
Although the research showed sexism was still a significant issue for female match-goers, as well as for non-binary fans, 77 per cent said they felt safe attending matches and four in 10 stated their experiences had been improving over time.
But ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, those with disabilities and younger people were more likely to feel unsafe and experience sexism in a soccer setting, the research said.
The vast majority of those surveyed, 85 per cent, said they had never reported the abuse, mostly because they didn't think it would make a difference.
"Football needs to step up to ensure sexism is taken seriously and that women feel safe and confident to report discrimination," said Hollie Varney, from Kick It Out. "We've seen reports of sexism to Kick It Out increase significantly in recent seasons."
The research has also highlighted the use of sexist language, with 53 per cent of respondents saying they had experienced or witnessed women being told that they should be elsewhere, such as "back in the kitchen".
Using the research data, Kick It Out has launched a campaign to ensure women fans know sexist abuse is discrimination and can be reported, and to show male fans how they can challenge those behaviours when they see them.
Reports of sexism in soccer go beyond fans' experiences. In 2014, a female employee exposed sexist emails Premier League former chief executive Richard Scudamore sent to friends, forcing him to apologise.
In 2018, the British Football Association was forced to apologise after it was accused of sexism for sharing a picture on X of the England women's soccer team with the caption: "Scrub up well, don't they?"
In Spain, former soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales will stand trial for his unsolicited kiss of women's national team player Jenni Hermoso in August last year. For players and fans, this proved that despite progress in the women's game more structural change was needed.
(Reuters)
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)