one in five women has already been touched in a football stadium

According to a study carried out across the Channel with 2,000 women used to going to football stadiums, 20% of them have already been touched in the stands. And 5% say they no longer want to go to bleachers because of sexist behavior.

If ever some doubt it, there is still work to be done to make women feel comfortable in football stadiums. A lot of work. As it had done in 2014, the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has just published the results of a survey of 2,000 spectators accustomed to taking place in the stands across the Channel, especially in the Premier League. And some figures are worrying.

Thus, 34% of the women questioned say they have heard sexist comments during a match, 24% have had the right to inappropriate songs, and 44% have heard their neighbors from the stands explain to them that they know it well « for a woman. « . So much for the lyrics. But there are also the acts. And we discover that 20% of respondents – or one in five – have already suffered touching, or at least « unwanted » physical contact, in the stands. A result twice as high as that of a similar survey conducted seven years ago.

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Not necessarily more incivility, but a change in mentalities

Should we see an upsurge in reprehensible behavior? Not necessarily. « Spectators are less likely to accept sexist behavior, or be willing to excuse it, to see it as a joke, » said Ally Simcock, FSA board member. « I’ve been going to see men’s football for a long time now. , and I’ve heard my share of sexist comments, but a lot has changed recently. Events like the MeToo movement have helped change people’s perceptions of what they are willing to and not take. « 

In short: the women have decided to say stop, and to denounce the bad behavior against them. While 24% said they laughed at sexism in stadiums in 2014, they are now only 12% who can have fun. The consequences are in any case real, since 5% of the spectators questioned say they no longer want to go to the stadium because of sexist behavior.

The Premier League, which has not officially commented on the poll, told Sky News to study new penalties for offenders, and want to train stewards on the subject.