No More Years of Hurt: Women’s Aid and House 337 launch campaign to highlight the spike in domestic abuse during big football games
Women’s Aid is highlighting the darker side of the country’s passion for football in the latest instalment of its award-winning “He’s Coming Home” campaign, created by House 337 and launching to coincide with this summer’s Euros 2024 tournament.
The campaign features specially created classic football scarves imprinted with well-known football chants that have been subverted to highlight the domestic abuse emergency. The scarves are emblazoned with different slogans: “No More Years of Hurt,” “He’s Coming Home,” and “England Till I Die.”
While football does not cause domestic abuse, existing abuse can intensify around tournaments like the Euros. Research by Lancaster University showed cases of domestic abuse increased by 38% when England lost a match, and 26% when they won or drew.
Women’s Aid is looking for support at the Euros with a campaign that highlights the domestic abuse emergency and takes domestic abuse from a private issue into the public domain.
On the cusp of a general election, with levels of violence against women at their highest and funding for women’s services at an all-time low, Women’s Aid aims to mobilise the public and move this issue further up the agenda in order to eradicate it once and for all.
The scarves are being sent to key influencers and will be featured in a series of OOH ads and on social media. These ads will also highlight the rise in reports of domestic abuse during major tournaments.
Across OOH and social, the football scarves are interwoven with some of the common misogynistic terms and sayings that perpetuate the domestic abuse emergency. At first glance, you don’t notice the wording woven into the scarf, but the longer you look, the more you recognise it. This reflects how domestic abuse is hidden in plain sight - it is everywhere, but people turn a blind eye, which is why it is so pervasive in our society and so much harder to tackle.
The “He’s Coming Home” campaign series, which first launched during the World Cup, has had a major impact on Women’s Aid as an organisation. The campaign has enabled Women’s Aid to enlist key figures in politics and football as allies along with celebrity ambassadors, such as Mel B. The next iteration builds on this and enables Women’s Aid to continue having difficult conversations across UK society, with the aim of stamping out domestic abuse once and for all.
The OOH ads will run across selected Clear Channel and Ocean Outdoor sites nationwide from June 20th to coincide with England's second match at group stage. The online campaign will run across social channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Teresa Parker, Head of Media Brand & Relationships at Women’s Aid, said: “Football championships are a fantastic time for us to come together as a country through a game that many of us love. However, for many women and children living with an abuser, major football tournaments can be a time filled with fear. While domestic abuse is not caused by football, we know existing abuse can become more severe or frequent during big tournaments. It is vital that we raise awareness of this during this crucial time so that survivors know where they can get help and so that the public know how they can support charities like Women’s Aid.
"We are so pleased to be working with House 337 once again on a football campaign, following the success of the ‘He’s Coming Home’ campaign during the 2022 World Cup. It reached so many people and started important conversations, creating important awareness of domestic abuse as an issue. We hope to do that again using well-known football phrases as a way to get people thinking about this issue that affects so many, but too often is hidden behind closed doors.”
Charlie Hurrell, Chief Client Officer at House 337, said: “For most of us, the Euros will be a time to enjoy some great football and a sense of hope and unity as we support our teams – which makes it all the more powerful a moment to get the message out about the dark side of these tournaments. Repurposing the most iconic and powerful phrases in British football is an incredibly effective way of raising awareness of domestic abuse. The campaign reaches the public during a critical time and mobilises people on a hugely important issue which wouldn’t otherwise have been on the agenda.
“The 2022 campaign by House 337, which coincided with the World Cup, was described as one of the most viral domestic abuse campaigns and was picked up by all major news outlets, as well as getting the attention of political figures like Keir Starmer, the Home Office, national police authorities, policymakers, local councils. It generated 23 million TikTok views and extensive sharing across platforms. As a result, Women’s Aid saw a 78% increase in traffic to its website driven by social media, and a 44% rise in visits to its donate page. There was also a 17% rise in visits to its information and support page.”
Eleanor Rowland, Fulham's Director of Safeguarding & Inclusion, added: "According to research conducted by Women’s Aid domestic violence and abuse increases by at least 26% during international tournaments, win or lose. Fulham stands by Women’s Aid who are working against domestic abuse until women and children are safe. We stand firm on not tolerating a future where women and children are at risk because of the beautiful game, or at any other time."
If you are someone who has been affected by domestic abuse, we’re here to help. Please check out the support available at https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/
If you need to talk to someone…
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247 (run by Refuge)
- The Men’s Advice Line, for male domestic abuse survivors – 0808 801 0327 (run by Respect)
- The Mix, free information and support for under 25s in the UK – 0808 808 4994
- National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0800 999 5428 (run by Galop)
- Samaritans (24/7 service) – 116 123
