Women’s Voice in the Mens Game
"Women's Voice in the Men's Game" refers to an initiative focused on empowering women's voices and experiences within men's football. It's a project by the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) that connects supporters, including diverse voices and experiences, to discuss their experiences following live men's football. The initiative aims to address issues like safety and leadership, and also provides a platform for women to share their perspectives and connect with like-minded individuals.
Violence Against Women and Girls
Football should be safe for everyone. But some male fans don’t get that: their bad behaviour means the police need a special programme to tackle violence against women and girls. VAWG, as it gets called, is a top priority and is discussed at most meetings of the Metropolitan Police Football Independent Advisory Group (IAG).
PC Claire Argyle from the Met’s central VAWG team says response to their survey asking women for their experiences has led to a rise in the number of reports. See below to have your say in the survey.
There are reports of incidents at other London football clubs but West Ham has a higher than most response rate. This may be because the survey has been better publicised and fans more active, but it may suggest more problems with male Hammers’ attitudes.
Reported incidents sometimes identify locations where problems occur or the times they are most likely to happen. Outside the stadium, Safer Neighbourhood Teams can look at improving security at those locations. Inside, it’s down to the stadium owners and club stewards.
Safety outside of the stadium was tackled through Walk, Talk and Do often by local police officers who are familiar with the area. This involves a walk around the stadium with the local VAWG team to highlight areas of concern. Some safety issues raised are dealt with by the local authority; others through other relevant agencies including British Transport Police
WHUST chair Rachel McFetridge has also done a local ‘Walk, Talk and Do’ event with the Newham VAWG officer, police sergeant Helena Besley, helping to identify areas of the London Stadium and approach routes where women have reported problems. The police are happy to do this with other fans, so if you have concerns, get in touch.
Keep an eye out for the pop-up tent at the stadium two to three times per season. But all stewards and police at matches know how and who to refer VAWG incidents to on the day. There's always a specialist VAWG team at the London Stadium on match days.
Have Your Say In Tackling Violence Against Women & Girls - London Football Clubs Feedback Survey
The purpose of this survey is to give you an opportunity to offer feedback to the Metropolitan Police Service & London Football Clubs in improving services.
It also provides a platform where you can voice what improvements you would like to take place to in how Violence Against Women & Girls is being tackled to keep women and girls in London safe. Any details you share will be anonymised and you won't be named or otherwise identified.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HaveYourSayInTacklingVAWGatLondonFootballClubs/
Women in Football and Anti-social behaviour. This work started initially after a WHUST committee member spoke to a number of women at away games who were regularly affected by inappropriate behaviour. As part of WHUST response we are planning to work with the WHU Foundation as one aspect of this. We will also be involving the FSA in this and using their expertise and contacts.
Women are less willing to accept sexist behaviour at games, according to a new survey from the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which measured current attitudes against those of fans in 2014.
The Women at the Match survey was completed by more than 2,000 match-goers with almost half of the respondents (49%) saying that witnessing sexist behaviour made them angry, up from one in three (29%) previously.
Back in 2014 almost one in three (32%) said they were generally not bothered about witnessing something sexist at the match, whereas nowadays only one in every seven fans (15%) would have the same attitude.
Previously one in four (24%) women at the match would have laughed off sexism whereas nowadays that is down to one in eight (12%).
Fewer women again are willing to accept it as part of the matchday experience, 4% down from 10% when compared to 2014’s figures, and most (59%) would like to see clubs condemn individuals who exhibit such behaviour. Four in ten (39%) would like to see sexists ejected from the ground – up from 26% in 2014.
One in 20 supporters (5%) say that witnessing sexist behaviour at the match makes them not want to attend in future.