UAE women's cricket team turned their fortunes around with a memorable triumph in Namibia
sports2 days ago
Close to half of women football 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.
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% said they had been touched inappropriately, 3% were victims of physical violence and 2% 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% said they felt safe attending matches and four in 10 stated their experiences had been improving over time.
But ethnic minorities, those with disabilities and younger people were more likely to feel unsafe and experience sexism in a football setting, the research said.
The vast majority of those surveyed, 85%, 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% 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 football 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.
ALSO READ:
UAE women's cricket team turned their fortunes around with a memorable triumph in Namibia
sports2 days ago
Winners edge out Stuart Smith’s squad by a hair in a thrilling 21-team showdown at Yas Links Abu Dhabi as Jackson Bell wins Individual Title
sports2 days ago
Many City players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, and Bernardo Silva, have voiced concerns about the crammed calendar this season
sports2 days ago
Eleonora clinched the win at the Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region, with a decisive strong sprint
sports2 days ago
The F1 championship continues at the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend
sports2 days ago
The Northern Ireland star expresses disappointment in the loss but focuses on positives ahead at Wentworth
sports3 days ago
Teammate Rashed Al Qemzi stays on course for a record fifth title triumph in the UIM F2 World Championship
sports3 days ago
The pair tangled while battling for third place behind winner Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc
sports3 days ago