Time to kick sexism out of football
Ruth Mason
Sexual violence trainer and consultant
There have been a spate of arrests of football players who have subsequently been charged with sexual offences over the last few months in the UK.
But what is it about the sport that leads to a culture of misogyny and rape and is it time for women’s groups to do something about it?
I first became aware of a link between sexual assault and football when a group of four Brighton and Hove Albion players and one Bournemouth United player were arrested for the sexual assault of a teenager in Brighton in January this year.
I then heard about a Sunderland player who was charged with a third count of sexual assault in April.
He was followed by a Leeds United player arrested and suspended after assaulting a 20-year-old woman and a Notts County player arrested and charged after an incident in a hotel in Croydon.
Most recently there has been a public storm of controversy following the conviction of Sheffield United striker, Ched Evans, to five years for raping a 19-year-old woman.
The question, of course, is this – why are footballers committing so many sexual assaults?
Is there a link between a culture that trains individuals from a young age in a heterosexist male environment, provides them with copious amounts of cash and a society which promotes the idea that women are disposable objects for instant gratification?
It is certainly not inherent in the game of football itself. I have yet to read about violence committed by women footballers or male or female fans of women’s football.
Despite the success of some individual women it’s clear that football is still a man’s game. Where women do run clubs or are part of the board they are the exception to the rule and heralded as ground breaking.
But attitudes in football can be addressed and challenged successfully.
The Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football campaign, initiated in 1993 after the suicide of a player, introduced a reporting procedure, community education tools and action weeks supported by local, regional and national partners.
It’s now time for women’s groups, the Equalities Commission and football associations to start a Kick Sexism out of Football campaign.
Hmm, maybe we should lobby the FA/Graham Taylor who said naming Ched Evans amongst their Footballers of the Year was perfectly acceptable since the awards are not about morality but football. Since when has there been commercial interests of the country that are above morality – no wonder football is in such a financial mess – see Glasgow Rangers fiasco too.