Whilst England celebrates getting through to the knockout stages of this year’s World Cup, police forces across the country prepare for a rise in domestic violence.
Research carried out by Lancaster University found that during the last World Cup in 2014, incidents of domestic violence in that area rose by 38% when England lost and even when they won or drew, there was an increase of 26% compared to days that England didn’t play. Researchers also found that reports of domestic abuse have increased with each World Cup that is played, with an average of 64 reports in 2002, rising to 99 in 2010.
This issue is not just confined to Lancaster, with many other forces reporting spikes in domestic abuse call-outs on match days. Because of this, police forces across the country are deploying additional officers on match days specifically for domestic abuse crimes.
These figures are horrifying but they may not even reveal the true extent of this issue, given that the majority of domestic incidents go unreported.
In an attempt to help, many forces have joined together to promote the ‘Give Domestic Abuse the Red Card’ campaign, to warn potential perpetrators that such behaviour will not be tolerated and to support victims in coming forward.
If you, or someone you know, is the victim of domestic abuse, whether match related or not, our family law team is here to help. There are legal orders that can be put in place to protect those most at risk and our team of solicitors is experienced and therefore able to guide and support you through the entire process from start to finish.
Don’t suffer in silence: give Jefferies a call for expert, confidential and sensitive advice – and show domestic abuse the red card today. Call the team on 01702 332 311.