As the football World Cup kicks off, Crimestoppers is asking people who live in the Midlands to be aware of the potential increase in domestic abuse cases, especially on days when England is playing. A recent study highlights that when England lose a game, domestic abuse increases by 38%, and even when England win, domestic abuse incidents rise by around 26%.
The charity is reaching out to so-called bystanders – such as neighbours, colleagues, friends and family – who may have suspicions, but are too embarrassed or are fearful of revenge to tell the authorities about their concerns. With Crimestoppers, personal details are never asked for or stored thanks to their cast-iron promise of complete anonymity.
Domestic abuse covers a wide range of areas such as physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial. One in four women and one in six men are affected at some point during their lifetime. It’s estimated that a typical victim endures up to 35 assaults before speaking up, and in some cases, it can result in death.
Should you suspect or know about domestic abuse and prefer to stay anonymous, please contact Crimestoppers UK Contact Centre by calling freephone 0800 555 111 or by completing a safe and secure anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org. In an emergency, or if you fear someone’s life is in danger, call 999 now.
Alan Edwards, West Midlands Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “The World Cup will be enjoyed by many people over the coming weeks. However, during tournaments like these, reports of domestic abuse increase on match days.
“It’s shocking to think that two women are killed by a former or current partner every single week. It shows how we all need to look out for each other and alert either police or, to stay anonymous, contact our charity. If you’re a victim, please tell someone and remember that you're not alone – there are many ways to get support – more details are on our website.”
To pass on crime information completely anonymously, visit the charity’s website Crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in the simple and secure anonymous online form or call the 24/7 UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111. Computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted Crimestoppers.
For telephone calls, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and calls have never been traced.
