Domestic abuse helpline sees calls rise over 50% during world cup
The charity says it is alarmed by the figures
A Wiltshire-based domestic abuse charity says it has seen calls to its helpline spike by more than 50% over the course of the World Cup, across its services in the South West, with victim referrals are up too.
The sector acknowledges that harm can rise during major sporting events, with charities and organisations raising awareness of this connection throughout competitions.
Despite this, FearFree's CEO, Debbie Beadle, says she was still surprised at how big the jump was compared to the month previous.
"It's always a concern when we see an increase in calls and since the England's first match, we have seen more calls to our helpline, which is obviously really concerning for all involved," she said.
"Sport and events such as football can bring such joys to people's life, but obviously we're seeing the dark side of it and seeing that actually as well as the highs when we're hitting the lows, that's causing an increase in violence in the home."
While there is disappointment that more people are feeling the need to reach out, there is positivity that people are able to pick up the phone and ask for help or advice.
Ms Beadle said that football doesn't suddenly turn people into abusers, but it can expose underlying issues in many cases.
She said: "One of the things that we do see, obviously, is that lots of the domestic abuse sector do raise awareness during the big sporting events that they see an increase and so hopefully that's, you know, a positive of that is that people are seeing it potentially more than they would do and so maybe using that as a time as an opportunity to call out."
Further concerns have been raised by a drop in people coming forward to get help for their behaviour. But Ms Beadle told us that it can take longer for them to come forward.
"The delay is because often it can take a while for somebody to really recognise that their behaviour is harmful and it sometimes also takes an intervention. So whether that's that they, you know, are arrested or they speak to someone who recognises that their behaviour is challenging," she said.
She added that the charity is ready to help anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or with their behaviour, insisting they don't judge anyone, and that they understand that there can be many reasons for abuse.
People seeking support can contact FearFree via their website here.
If you’re affected by issues raised in this article, there is help available from the following services
· The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247 (run by Refuge)
· The Men’s Advice Line, for male domestic abuse survivors is 0808 801 0327 (run by Respect)
· The National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0800 999 5428 (run by Galop)
If you are in immediate danger always call 999.