Sexism at football – a problem that isn’t going away

In the lead-up to the recent men’s Manchester derby, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and partner organisations were deployed across the city to raise awareness of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and protect vulnerable people.

The United Nations defines VAWG as acts of gender-based violence that cause physical, sexual or psychological harm. While that includes serious crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual violence, experts say casual misogyny and sexist comments can also contribute by reinforcing gender inequality.

Fans in Manchester were encouraged to recognise abuse and challenge it.

Ch Supt Colette Rose – head of specialist operations at GMP – said: “I think VAWG is a societal problem. It’s high on the national agenda. It leaks into every aspect of our society, and that includes sports and football.

“What we tend to see at football is predominantly a male-dominated fanbase. If we can work with males around behaviours that may make women feel unsafe or intimidated and educate people, that will have an impact on wider society.”

Figures released by GMP show the number of reported incidents of VAWG at football matches increased from 18 in the 2023-24 season to 28 last season – and that is expected to rise again.

Her Game Too, meanwhile, told us they receive at least one report every matchday.

But Rose does not think that necessarily shows the issue is getting worse.

“I think what is actually happening is we’re calling it out,” she said. “And I think society is starting to see that these behaviours are unacceptable and our partners are really engaged in working with us on this.

“People are reporting it more because they can see that it’s wrong and we shouldn’t just accept it.”

Rose recalls one incident at a match in Germany when she was targeted.

“I had reason to speak to a couple of lads who were exiting the game and were very jubilant, but were singing songs that could have caused real offence in Germany,” she says.

“The barrage of abuse that I got on the back of that was very much about my sex, the way I looked… I was followed around the stadium for a bit and I couldn’t locate a police officer in uniform to support me.

“It shook me to the core. I didn’t realise I could ever feel that vulnerable in a crowd as a police officer, and in fear of that immediate violence towards me, purely because I was a female.

“The language used was very misogynistic and the person perpetrating it was using my vulnerabilities to make me feel the way I did. It’s a horrible feeling.”