'Home game': domestic abuse and football; the role of research in policy and practice

Brooks-Hay, O. and Lombard, N. (2018) 'Home game': domestic abuse and football; the role of research in policy and practice. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 2(1), pp. 93-108. (doi: 10.1332/239868018X15155986580769)

Abstract

Increased reports of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) following football matches have been documented, within both quantitative studies and the media, leading to questions about the policy and practice responses required. However, qualitative research facilitating understanding of the apparent link between football and DVA is lacking. Drawing upon research with key stakeholders across England and Scotland, this paper provides a rare insight into their understanding of the contested and complex relationship between football and DVA, including the role of contributory and confounding factors such as alcohol, match expectations, masculinity, entitlement and permissions. It is argued that while football may provide a potential platform for challenging DVA, focusing on football (or other specific factors or events) as causative risks re-incidentalising DVA and detaching it from feminist frameworks that have established DVA as a sustained behaviour grounded in gendered inequalities. This paper concludes by considering the broader conceptual implications of these findings for future research, policy and practice.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This research was funded by a grant from the Sir Stewart Halley Trust.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Brooks, Dr Oona
• Authors: Brooks-Hay, O., and Lombard, N.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Journal of Gender-Based Violence
• Publisher: Policy Press
• ISSN: 2398-6808
• ISSN (Online): 2398-6816
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 Centre for Gender and Violence Research
• First Published: First published in Journal of Gender-Based Violence 2(1): 93-108
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy