Football clubs back police domestic abuse campaign

Jonathan Evison, the police and crime commissioner for Humberside is working with Hull City, Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town on a new campaign

Posters displaying domestic abuse advice will be put up at football stadiums in a bid to reduce the number of incidents.

Hull City, Grimsby Town and Scunthorpe United have signed up for the campaign which is being led by Jonathan Evison, the police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Humberside.

The signs will challenge abusive people to face up to their actions and seek help to change. Information will also be offered on how to get support and call out inappropriate behaviour.

Evison said data showed incident of domestic abuse increases on matchdays and hoped the move would "encourage more open conversations about harm within the home".

Evison, who is also chair of the Humberside Violence Prevention Partnership, said the posters had already gone up at Blundell Park, Grimsby.

The posters will be displayed in public areas in and around football stadiums on matchdays

According to data from Office for National Statistics (ONS), for the year ending March 2024, about 12.6 million people in England and Wales - 26% of the population - had experienced abusive behaviours by family or partners since age of 16, including 30% of women and 22% of men.

More than three-quarters of the 108 domestic homicide victims in the year to March 2024 were women.

Evison said: "There is no place for violence in our communities, we take domestic abuse seriously and recognise that the harm caused affects people of all ages and from all sectors of society.

"Any violence within the home always harms children and there is never an excuse for abuse."

Claire Burton, partnerships and hospitality manager at Hull City said the club was "proud to support initiatives that raise awareness of domestic abuse".

Glyn Sparks, head of partnerships at Scunthorpe United said: "We are always looking at showing support and this gives us the chance to do this to thousands of people regularly at The Attis Arena."

A spokesperson for Grimsby Town said they hoped the campaign would "start people talking so they don't suffer in silence".

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