Kick It Out reports sexist incidents at football matches have doubled
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out has recorded a staggering 100% increase in sexist incidents at football matches this season, prompting urgent conversations about the safety of female fans across the sport.
The organisation received 131 official reports of misogyny and sexist behaviour between the start of the current campaign and the end of February.
This alarming figure represents more than double the number of complaints registered during the exact same period last year.
Consequently, many female supporters are increasingly choosing to boycott men’s games entirely to protect themselves and their families from abuse.
One anonymous mother admitted that the toxic environment has forced her to restrict her daughter’s attendance exclusively to women’s fixtures.
Hostile matchday environments
Zoe Hitchen, a former accredited English Football League photographer, regularly faced degrading chants regarding her knowledge of the sport while working pitchside.
The media professional revealed that the harassment extended beyond verbal abuse during her tenure from 2008 to 2010.
“The mascot would come and grope me,” Hitchen stated.
Despite reporting these physical assaults to stadium security and club officials at the time, she claims her complaints were routinely ignored.
Other match-going women have reported deeply uncomfortable stadium conditions, including instances of men frequently using designated female toilet facilities.
Digital abuse and campaigning
The targeted harassment is not confined to the physical terraces of stadiums.
Simran Atwal, a dedicated Derby County supporter, frequently experiences severe misogyny in digital spaces.
The volunteer works closely with Her Game Too, a prominent campaign group striving to eradicate sexism and champion female participation in sports.
She noted that innocent photographs posted on personal profiles are often stolen by anonymous social media accounts to generate abusive comment sections.
Meanwhile, veteran Liverpool follower Angela continues to face derogatory remarks demanding she return to the kitchen despite attending games for decades.
