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Home violence and the dark side of the World Cup

Sara Haghdoosti

by Sara Haghdoosti

08 Jul 05:50am

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Filed under: Domestic Violence, Sport, Statistics, Violence, World Cup

49 comments

Sleepless nights, heartbreak and endless analysis and yelling at the screen have been an intimate part of many of our lives during the World Cup. With all the commentary, the goals, and the bad sporting puns ad nauseam there’s one thing that no one has really talked about during this world cup - violence against women.

There's a dark side to this level of fanaticism.

It’s a horrible thought, that an event we love could have such a dark underside. Sadly it’s something we do need to talk about. During the 2006 Fifa World Cup the home office of the UK found a 30% jump in domestic violence incidents on nights that England were playing.

The interesting thing is it didn’t seem to matter if England won or lost as the 30% increase remained relatively steady during England’s win over Paraguay and its loss to Portugal.

It’s not just about the Fifa Football world cup. From football to Rugby the problem remains. In 2007 the New Zealand herald reported that there was an increase in incidents of domestic violence when the All Blacks lost the Rugby World Cup.

Studies have also shown that the rates of domestic violence increase during the Super Bowl in the United States. According to the Domestic Violence Clearing House Report on domestic violence and incidental peaks, women’s shelters in the States reported they had received more calls on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other day.

So what about here in Australia?

In Australia the spike only occurs during the Melbourne Cup. The Domestic Violence Clearing House Report found a 58% increase in Domestic violence in NSW, 64% higher in the NT and 39% increase in South Australia. (http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4299886)

However the report doesn’t find a domestic violence spike in any other of our major sporting events. It suggests that the reason we see a spike on Melbourne cup day as opposed to on a Rugby Final is because many of our sporting events don’t have the same national following the Melbourne Cup has.

So why are we seeing spikes of violence against women during major sporting events?

Let’s be honest, sporting heroes aren’t always the best role models when it comes to ending violence against women. You only have to list the scandals involving NRL players in recent years. Across sports both national and international scandals around sexual assault are sickeningly commonplace, and with them is a atmosphere that often reaffirms and normalises sexist behavior.

The important thing is to place the responsibility for where it belongs – solely with the perpetrator. According to Science Daily: “An expert at Royal Holloway, University of London is urging victims of domestic violence to have a plan in place should their partners turn violent during the (Fifa) World Cup”.

This sort of advice puts the burden of responsibility on domestic violence survivors to find ways of ‘dealing’ with violence, when fact violence isn’t something they should have to ‘plan’ around or ‘deal’ with.

This isn’t to say, of course, everyone involved in sport is necessarily sexist or harbors harmful views. Quite the opposite. Millions of Australians have been enjoying the World Cup without incident. I know that many athletes have also signed up to various programs to raise awareness about violence against women.

But tackling this starts with awareness.

If you or anyone you know are experiencing domestic violence call the domestic violence hotline on 1800 656 463.

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Most commented

49 comments

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    • Sean Williams says:

      06:58am | 08/07/10

      Sport is just the backdrop to this. Surely alcohol is the main culprit. If I recall correctly, during the 2006 World Cup the England games against Paraguay and Portugal were both on hot Saturday afternoons and many of these so called “men” were probably on the keg all day in the heat. Everyone knows booze and ratbag men don’t mix well, it just so happens that around big sporting events more ratbag men are boozing up at the same time

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      08:26am | 08/07/10

      Yep.  Booze.  It explains why there is no difference win or lose.  It is not frustration.  It is blokes on couches drinking steadily.  If you have been on a city street on Melbourne Cup day it is prettty obvious that a lot of people have been doing some pretty determined drinking for quite a few hours.

    • Vince says:

      08:45am | 08/07/10

      Horse racing, soccer and grid iron are all extremely boring and drive people to drink.

    • NS Welshmen says:

      09:46am | 08/07/10

      The frustration one would feel, from a game that does not reward ability or skill. That’s enough to drive you to drink.

    • mk says:

      10:00am | 08/07/10

      hmm.. I see what you guys are saying, but I know plenty of guys who like a drink, but never seem to feel the need to physically assault a woman….

    • PW says:

      11:49am | 08/07/10

      Of course, MK, not everyone who drinks goes around bashing people up. But some do. Not just women getting belted either but anyone who is convenient. And mostly, but not always, men doing the belting either. There is unfortunately some rather cloying stereotyping in this particular article.

    • Macca says:

      01:47pm | 08/07/10

      Surely the fact that the Melbourne Cup is at 3pm, and many folks have been drinking for hours before that, is the reason we see the spike. Its not to do with the following of sport, but the large consumption of Alcohol early on in the day.

      I’d be interested to see if there is any correlation to regarding ANZAC, Australia or Boxing & Christmas day to confirm this.

      I reckon there would be a big spike in domestic violence around Christmas, and whilst this may be for different reasons, Alcohol would definitely play a signifcant factor

    • Super D says:

      02:43pm | 08/07/10

      Spot on Sean, sport has nothing to do with it.  Booze is the cause.

      I mean look what happened when all those young Aussies went boozing at cronulla a couple of years back.  No sport but still mayhem due to too much booze on a hot afternoon.  It was like an afternoon at the cricket before they banned full strength beer.

      If the violence stats spike around sporting events my guess would be alcohol sales would be similarly increased. 

      That the Melbourne cup causes a spike should be no surprise.  On that day more Australians start drinking at lunchtime and keep going all afternoon than any other.

    • biff says:

      07:22am | 08/07/10

      Sleepless nights, heartbreak and endless analysis, yelling at the screen, and bets that went down the drain: all part of the world cup. The one thing that remains clear after the 2010 world cup is that Australia can not play soccer. We have gone backwards. Heaps of dosh has been tossed at Aussie soccer with little to provide any sign that we are improving. It’s time to end the notion that we can play soccer. We were only there in Sth Africa so that other teams could have a training run against us.

      Reply

    • S.L says:

      09:11am | 08/07/10

      If we can’t play soccer Biff? What do you say to a Russian, a Scot, or an Irishmen as they didn’t qualify and we did!

    • Battered Sav says:

      09:32am | 08/07/10

      What you’re reading is a casual observer’s expectations being violently shunted in the direction of reality. Welcome to the world game, Biff.

    • Richard says:

      09:38am | 08/07/10

      Well I don’t know if that’s true. Look at the Dutch, they are in the World Cup final, after going on an incredible two-year streak of being totally undefeated. Surely they are one of the top sides in the world: but guess who was the very last team to defeat them (in their own country no less)? It was our heroic Socceroos! We are steadily improving, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but keep the faith!

    • m&ms; says:

      10:04am | 08/07/10

      Biff, you really are a goose.
      Australia had one win, one loss, one draw. much better than some of other teams there… not to mention countries that didnt even qualify! this involved two disgraceful send offs against us, and playing against two countries that went on to the quarter finals.
      Either you are deliberately stirring people on here, or you have zero perspective on the world game… I hope it’s the former, for your sake!

    • the anti-Fozz says:

      03:18pm | 08/07/10

      S.L “What do you say to a Russian, a Scot, or an Irishmen as they didn’t qualify and we did!”

      To the Irishman - ‘commiserations, you were cheated by FIFA and some cheese eating surrender monkeys’.

      To the Russians and Scots: ‘Don’t worry, if you had to qualify through the Micky Mouse Asian Fed, you’d be there too.”

      smile

    • biff says:

      07:14pm | 08/07/10

      Turn it up M&Ms;. Just who did we beat to qualify? We thrashed the Pitcairn Island Social Club Soccer Team 3-2; we pummeled one of the most talented teams in our division The Djibouti A reserve team 2-0; and we saved the best until last when we gave a soccer lesson to the Myanmar Dolphins with a blistering display to emerge the winners 1-0. Turn it up. Just who did we beat?

    • S.L says:

      07:18pm | 08/07/10

      Oh very quick anti-Fozz! Another expert in our midsts? Especially using a psuedonym just for this article….....

    • Adam Diver says:

      08:20am | 08/07/10

      The poor NRL. You state above that there is no spike on Major NRL events then a paragraph later blame the NRL for poor role models. I think Sean is right, I think the connection is not between sport but between the alcohol consumed during a sporting event.

      At least you provide some interesting points other than raising awareness such as….ummmm…..cancelling sports???

      Reply

    • Ben says:

      11:11am | 08/07/10

      Not only that she also casts general aspertions about the behaviour of players without listing a single actual event.  How many top sport players have actually been convicted for violence against women?  How does that figure compare with the general population?

      The constant femminist complaining about male’s enjoyment of sport is just getting tedious and does not advance the debate any as it only serves to annoy those people who don’t agree with you.

    • Bob H says:

      08:58am | 08/07/10

      Statistics can be used to prove any agenda.  I hope we can grow beyond cursory interpretations of data that have become non scientific, sound bite based for pushing barrows.  Sport is not a problem, sitting on a couch watching television with too much alcohol is.  Well done Sean for seeing through the figures.

      Reply

    • Pete says:

      09:35am | 08/07/10

      If you supported England you’ve be violent too.

      Reply

    • Sherekahn says:

      09:39am | 08/07/10

      Certain Sports bring out the violence in men.  Of course, alcohol can increase that, as with male ‘gang’ behaviour, however, the men on the field playing certain sports are very violent without alcohol in their bodies.
      Maybe we can blame testosterone, the very same hormone that attracts ‘certain’ women.  I have always wondered where some of these men find their wives.

      Reply

    • Roja says:

      01:45pm | 08/07/10

      Of course boredom also increases the potential for violence (especially combined with drinking) - so banning sport would hardly make a difference, if anything it might actually increase it.

      As for attracting ‘certain’ women - in many cases they are women that grew up in a similar domestic situation which, sadly, tends to ‘normalise’ the behaviour.

    • Les says:

      09:51am | 08/07/10

      It’s a bit like advising pedestrians not to walk out in front of cars and then having them howl that cars shouldn’t be running them over. It’s going to happen so at least have a plan to avoid getting run over. Yes, men who drink too much, have come from backgrounds that included violence, and have less respect for them selves than their women WILL do what they shouldn’t. If a woman is in that situation during the reported time frames then she should be active in the management of said violence and not yell help after the fact. Easier said than done I know, I watched my mother cop it for years before she bailed.

      Reply

    • DMR says:

      09:58am | 08/07/10

      If you combine an emotional event, alcohol and lots of people at home rather than work you will unfortunately get some violent outcomes.  But don’t try and blame it on the sport - I bet there would be similar spikes in incidents on Australia Day, Anzac Day, Christmas Day etc.

      Reply

    • Mary from Wide Bay says:

      10:13am | 08/07/10

      Thank you Sara for an excellent article. Particularly your point re ///The important thing is to place the responsibility for where it belongs – solely with the perpetrator/// You mentioned this is response to the advice from the University of London for victims of domestic violence to have a plan in place just in case. And you very rightly argue that /// This sort of advice puts the burden of responsibility on domestic violence survivors to find ways of ‘dealing’ with violence, when fact violence isn’t something they should have to ‘plan’ around or ‘deal’ with.///
      This is a point which can not be made often enough. It is articles such as yours that help people to get the perspective which is needed to turn this around.
      Thank you for putting this on the table.

      Reply

    • Markus says:

      01:25pm | 08/07/10

      I actually thought the advice was fairly smart harm minimisation.
      Much like with drug addiction, getting the person to leave their abusive relationship would be the preferred result, but in many cases that will just not happen (like telling an addict to quit).

      Why not then provide advice to at least help abuse victims avoid as much pain as possible should they be emotionally unable to bring themselves to leave?

      Simply claiming that the victims shouldn’t have to deal with it is as naive as walking alone at night through violent neighbourhoods claiming you shouldn’t have to worry about being attacked and mugged.

    • MK says:

      03:56pm | 10/07/10

      Pedestrians that get heit by cars at zebra crossings are completey right,
      The they have right of way, Motorists shouldnt hit pedestrians crossing at zebra crossings, Now when you corss at a zebra corssing do you shut your eyes and put your fingers in your ears? you have right of way, you should not be hit by any cars. It would be wrong for the cars to hit them.
      Since when is looking after your own safety not your responsibility?

    • Zaf says:

      10:13am | 08/07/10

      “This sort of advice puts the burden of responsibility on domestic violence survivors to find ways of ‘dealing’ with violence, when fact violence isn’t something they should have to ‘plan’ around or ‘deal’ with. “

      The world is not as it should be.  Telling the victims of domestic violence that they have no responsibility for their own situation is leaving them to twist in the wind.  They have a responsibility to themselves, and they have agency if they can discover it.  Assigning blame to the perpetrator is good, but if it isn’t followed up by actions to save oneself (and possibly one’s children) it’s pretty useless.  These women have a responsibility to act to save themselves, telling them that they don’t is both dishonest and sexist.

      Reply

    • Casey says:

      11:35am | 08/07/10

      Absolutely agree Sara that awareness is the key to fight domestic violence. There are, as you say, many examples of sporting stars speaking out on this issue - one particularly fantastic example is the Normanton Stingers who have, with Government funding, managed to reduce (through education) incidence of domestic violence in that area by 55%. An incredible result in an area where domestic violence was rife.

      http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/03/26/2856901.htm

      More of this sort of thing is required, Australia-wide.

      Reply

    • Ariel at Justice for Children says:

      11:44am | 08/07/10

      Sara is so right - there’s the sport of law too!  Family court abuses women and children - and some men!  See report NO way to live and another published today by federal Attorney General Family violence and family law
      The Family Court is awarding custody of children to abusive parents every day.  The judges seem to bend over backwards to allow fathers access to their children despite evidence that some of them are not fit to have unsupervised contact let alone custody.  Mothers, on the other hand, are restricted and even prevented from seeing their children on allegations that are often baseless. 
      The interests of the child are nowhere in this system – not just the best interests but even the most basic ones. There are NO – repeat NO – services which adequately protect children being crushed by the family law system.

      The court makes decisions without heed to what the future might be like for the child – there is no follow up to make sure the child is Ok in a new home (even though they may have been removed from the mother summarily without even favourite toys or clothes) children can be and are denied (by the court) the right to counselling after the separation.  DOCS, Schools, police – nobody seems to be able to intervene in family court matters.
      Somehow the Family Court has become 100 times more important than the family!

      God help us – God help Australia.  We are killing our kids – emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and all too often - physically.

    • Bev says:

      04:59pm | 15/10/10

      Ariel have you actualy read the various reports? They say similar things.
      Prof. Richard Chisholm’s report finds that about 5% of divorce cases go to litigation (the rest are sorted out beforehand) of these cases 50% involve allegations of violence or abuse. Of these 30% involve violence by wives against husbands. He recommends that all divorce cases be actively screened for violence. Further some submissions from womans groups suggested separate areas be provided for women where violence was claimed.  He agreed BUT also suggested that separate areas for men should also provided. Generally the reports do not support the hysteria coming from womans groups and feminists that children are enmass being placed into danger.

    • PW says:

      11:44am | 08/07/10

      Is it violence against women only that spikes during major sporting events or violence in general? I would think the latter and, as always, its not sport that is the culprit, but booze.

      Reply

    • Satyrical says:

      04:57pm | 08/07/10

      How many times do we hear that worn out excuse, “It was the drink. Your Honour!”. No it was not the drink or booze - such excuses of blaming drunkenness are pathetic. All that booze does is to lower the natural controls and remove inhibitions from behaving according to personality. These are nasty people who can control themselves most of the time and put on a pretence of being normal, but when booze removes the controls they are exactly themselves. Even the ancient Romans knew that - “In Vino, Veritas”.  Violent abusers of initmate partners and children should be placed on a National Register of Violent Abusers. Then everyone will know them for what they are.

    • PW says:

      09:24pm | 08/07/10

      Satyrical, you just stated blaming drunkenness is pathetic and then go on to explain exactly why these things happen when someone is drunk. And of course it should not be used as an excuse in courts, etc. If you are a goose on the grog, you know you are a goose on the grog, and need to make the appropriate changes.

    • Gregg says:

      11:53am | 08/07/10

      It is sad that there are so many people that cannot enjoy events for what they are without turning to violence and it is not that sporting events themselves are claimed to be the cause but that surveys do show spikes, alcohol no doubt one factor.
      The key thing though is that the anti violence message needs to get through to the perpetrators and using all levels of sport as a vehicle for the message can only be a good move.
      How would it be if after an international match, the Captain comes on to say something like
      ” We did our best “
      ” We were beaten by a better team on the day “
      ” Our supporters need to accept that with an attitude of peace to all “
      Knowing that was to be expected of a losing team captain might even make for good motivation and a more hotly contested game.
      I would reckon the Melbourne Cup spike could even be due guilt syndrome reaction on losing the household weekly budget money too!
      But yes Sara, a good article and good to have it aired.

      Reply

    • DD Ball says:

      12:00pm | 08/07/10

      Sport wasn’t the sponsor of the abuse in my parent’s household. My mother preferred Opera and my dad was an academic researcher. But I recognize the signs among those I have worked with and among. I don’t think the sport was the sponsor, so much as the build up of expectation and disappointment that also occurs in many other ways .. like when a political party succeeds or fails, or when a life challenge is met in unusual ways (siblings first significant other, or latest, job setbacks, etc etc). In many ways, the ALP could be accused in NSW of lifting such abuse for their litany of failed promises on a host of items.
      There are more causes than activity when it comes to home abuse. But there is one reason why it doesn’t occur. It doesn’t occur when adults show selfless grace for life’s little disappointments.

      Reply

    • NEFFA says:

      12:47pm | 08/07/10

      The thing is people just don’t get involved anymore.
      Once upon a time if you saw a mate pissed and angry, no way would you send him home to his wife.
      We need to get education out to the pubs and sporting clubs to get people to watch out for each other.

      Reply

    • 6c legs says:

      01:24pm | 08/07/10

      Interesting how so many of the commentators, male going by their monikers (and that Punch contributors seem mostly male), rather than address the topic have gone off on soccer/sport bashing tangents, or are blaming the women for ‘letting themselves’ be IN such a situation ? ? ? What about the girlfriend/wife/partner getting smashed by her noble male partner for the first time? is it her fault for not being able to see the future?!
      And if the noble male partner apologises, begs her to stay, and if she doesn’t ,you guys would be all over her for not giving the noble male a second chance. !
      Many of you appear to live in a world where everything is black and white? So if your not 12 and playing grown-up by posting on Punch, I wanna know where this world of no grey areas you all seem to inhabit, is?

      Wife/girlfriend/partner beating isn’t a Bogan only zone. Perhaps that’s why so many here prefer to be so quick to go off topic -  the author is *trying* to highlight a subject that is too close to the bone for some.?

      This topic is best done by males. Men need to call the perpetrators out on their behavior - the perps being the sort of personality that they are, will only take notice when *other men* begin to say that ‘it’s just not on!’

      So hows about The Punches editor, Penbo does a similar article? It’s time that the men went to the front line of this war.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      02:52pm | 08/07/10

      Ok, a few myths here to debunker.

      1. I don’t believe that “many” of the Punchers are blaming women for the situation. Some have levelled some responsibility in that direction, but most have not

      2. No, its not her fault, but some Girls might think twice before dating certain Football Players… just saying.

      3. “Many of you appear to live in a World that is black and white”... that would be Male Logic. Its rather helpful for building bridges and solving Math.

      4. I’m not 12, but thanks, I try to sleep with Gloves on.

      5. You are right, the Author has tried to highlight a serious concern, but as many have also responded (Blogging is wonderful isn’t it), Alcohol, not sport, may actually be the ‘culprit’ here. I’m sure many of us have seen an otherwise upstanding mate lose his blocker after a few too many cans. I’d wager its the excessive Cans and not Englands perpetual abysmal form that has resulted in a spike in Domestic Violence (which is terrible).

      7. Sure, Penbo could do an article. But he would already be well behind the NRL and AFL’s support for White Ribbon day for the past few years.

      Domestic Violence against women is a horrible horrible thing, but maybe you could contribute something other than a bunch of question marks… ?

    • 6c legs says:

      07:40pm | 08/07/10

      Hi “Macca”, this afternoon when I first read this and started to reply, there were only 19 or so posts to this article, and mostly the replies were off topic…
      Half way through replying I had a small drama down the stables that needed attending to,  during that time many more posts came in…
      In a perfect world i would’ve rechecked the posts, but my worlds far from perfect! lol.

      I was surprised to see my post published, because I’m still waiting for the email notification (7.33pm and still waiting) and thought that it was just another post of mine to hit the dirt because I questioned the editor…

      White Ribbon Day is a start, but men like Penbo have clout (bad pun, sorry!) and can be massive in helping to drive home the message that Violence against women (and children) is wrong, and that there’re no excuses, ever, for violence.

      re your “male logic”; what, women can’t build bridges, or do Math? Now you’re just stirring!  wink

      I’ve done more than my share by bringing up 2 sons to know that Real Men would never use violence against women or children. That using domestic violence will eat one up,  that the abuser will never know self worth or happiness, and will live a lonely existence unless the abuser admits that they have issues which they need to address - which is more than their fist-happy NON drinking and now lonely father ever did.

      Real Men talk to someone and address their problems

    • Baal says:

      01:36pm | 08/07/10

      Sarah this is an issue that needs awareness. I am however concerned you may be a honky hater based on the bias running thru your articles, please tell me that is not so. Honkies need education but it needs to done right or you get them all exicited and confused which means your message will get lost

      Reply

    • Bev says:

      02:09pm | 15/10/10

      Thank you Watchman. Just about every other sports event mentions in the article has been debunked too.  Including the one that 10,000 (enter any other figure you want) women would be trafficed to the world cup to become prostitutes. Didnt happen! Truth none of this gender feminism mysandric hate is anwhere close to real. Its just an excuse to bash men.

    • Tom says:

      05:32pm | 08/07/10

      Correlation and causation. A lot of people on the drink may well equal a lot of violence. Sport doesn’t cause the violence - drunken and violent individuals do. By all means the root causes of domestic violence should be addressed - but that is dealing with the fact that drunken idiots think that this sort of behaviour is acceptable. Nothing to do with the sport itself.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      07:00pm | 08/07/10

      I think Sara’s got it.
      The World Cup teams should be gathered like the Tour de France teams are : by a sponser.
      This, necessarily, ignores geography, race, and tribes.
      Viva le Sport !

      Reply

    • Matt says:

      07:22pm | 08/07/10

      Alcohol is a factor, not a cause. The frustration of seeing your team lose can manifest in a form as abhorrent as domestic violence, but putting it down to alcohol misses the point. The US stats indicate the Superbowl is their biggest day - outstripping major drinking holidays like Independence Day and Christmas. Clearly the correllation is between the aggravating effect sport brings out in those predisposed to it - there’s no excuse, and alcohol is certainly not one.

      Reply

    • BK says:

      08:16am | 09/07/10

      The author was very quick to ensure that men need to wear all of the blame for domestic violence. This conceptualisation achieves nothing productive and appeals only to women who are more interested in claiming the high moral ground in the battle of the sexes than fixing this problem. It is ignorant. It has been conclusively proven that women are slightly more violent than men. What is less well known is that very little DV is unidirectional. The vast majority are arguments that escalate out of control. Therefore, it makes no sense to label the men “villians” and the women “victims”, they are all participants.

      We need to display a bit of empathy for blokes involved. They don’t need to constantly be told everything is their fault, they need strategies to deal with conflicts that acknowledge how violent many women are. Men who haven’t been violent need to know that these women are out there so they can think about how to handle these situations well ahead of time.

      We need to stop telling women not to blame themselves and encourage them to learn better ways of dealing with conflicts. Above all, we need to stop awarding them the high moral ground. The current system encourages them to turn an argument violent, because the crowd will come in on their side.

      We need to move beyond out-dated types of feminism where women were seen as intrinsically caring and empathising with men was treason. Lets focus on solving problems, not blame and self rightous grandstanding.

      Reply

    • Jonathon says:

      11:45am | 09/07/10

      I listened to a female collegue describe how she slapped her boyfriend full in the face becasue he said she wasn’t his ‘missus’. She didn’t wait for him to clarify that missus for him meant married, and that she is his girlfriend. She was laughing as she told this story. I felt sick. Violence against ANYONE is unacceptable.

      Reply
 
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