World cup: Women prepare for increased domestic abuse

Article here. Excerpt:

'Many people in relationships with abusive partners dread major footballing competitions like the world cup. This is because they’re linked to an increase in incidents of domestic abuse.

Research by the University of Lancaster shows violent domestic abuse incidents increase by 38% when England loses football matches. Rates are also 26% higher when the team wins or draws.

Domestic abuse consists of a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviours, where one partner seeks to hold power and control over the other’s life. It is a gendered form of abuse, predominantly perpetrated by men against women, which can combine emotional, verbal, psychological, financial, sexual or physical forms of violence.

The severity of domestic abuse can range from consistently critical comments and verbal belittling to physical violence, strangulation and rape.'