Advertisement
News

Research says football is being used a scapegoat for domestic abuse

The study comes as a “pioneering” programme that aims to change the behaviour of domestic perpetrators is rolled out across six local authorities in Scotland

The claim that football and domestic abuse are linked is a myth according to research from Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of Glasgow and the University of Bristol.

The study claimed the data behind reports linking a spike in cases to Old Firm results or the outcome of England World Cup games is misleading and fails to recognise abuse as a pattern of ongoing behaviour.

Dr Nancy Lombard, reader in sociology and social policy at Glasgow Caledonian University highlighted concerns about the reliability and implications of the “causal link between football and domestic violence and abuse”.

Lombard said: “Specialist domestic violence and abuse service providers were concerned that focusing on football masks the underlying causes and potentially offers perpetrators excuses for their abusive behaviour.”

The findings used focus groups and one-to-one interviews with police, support groups and football authorities have been published in the Journal of Gender-Based violence.

The first in-depth study comes as The Caledonian System, a programme that aims to aims to combat domestic abuse through the rehabilitation of male perpetrators and work to improve the lives of affected women and children has been given a further £2.8 million in funding from the Scottish Government.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said tackling violence against women was a “priority for the Scottish government”.

He said “Funding to expand the availability of the Caledonian System is one of the measures we have put in place to protect victims and hold perpetrators to account, including strengthening the law and passing the Domestic Abuse Act earlier this year.”

The Caledonian System works as an alternative to custody by rehabilitating men convicted of domestic abuse-related offences using cognitive behavioural techniques.

A 2016 review of the programme found participants “posed a lower risk to partners, children and others” by the end of the programme, with women feeling “safer”.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 the funding will see the scheme rolled out in Dundee, Fife, Glasgow, Highland and South Lanarkshire local authorities, doubling the programme’s reach.

Advertisement

Become a Big Issue member

3.8 million people in the UK live in extreme poverty. Turn your anger into action - become a Big Issue member and give us the power to take poverty to zero.

Recommended for you

Read All
Cash-strapped council warns it's at breaking point as neighbour places homeless people in its town
homeless peoples' tents in street
Homelessness

Cash-strapped council warns it's at breaking point as neighbour places homeless people in its town

Disabled people losing jobs and 'falling out of work' due to months-long waits for DWP support
disabled person working
Disability rights

Disabled people losing jobs and 'falling out of work' due to months-long waits for DWP support

Homeless families occupy council housing offices on Halloween in plea to fix 'houses of horror'
Homeless families at a protest about council housing
Homelessness

Homeless families occupy council housing offices on Halloween in plea to fix 'houses of horror'

'Back to cost of living crisis': Households will be £770 worse off by next UK election, experts say
woman in supermarket
Cost of living crisis

'Back to cost of living crisis': Households will be £770 worse off by next UK election, experts say

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue