In the last three months, search volume for domestic abuse resources in the UK has changed from isolated, erratic spikes to sustained, elevated, continuous activity. Searches for the National Domestic Abuse Helpline are up 5000% month-on-month, and year-by-year, indicating ongoing demand in the UK that closely mirrors the progression of the World Cup tournament after June 24.
Strong evidence to suggest an increase in domestic violence in line with major football events is nothing new. In 2013, researchers at Lancaster University set out to investigate whether the anecdotal view that FIFA tournaments were associated with a rise in reported domestic abuse incidents when viewed remotely via television. It looked at monthly and daily domestic abuse incidents reported to a police force in the North West of England across three separate tournaments (2002, 2006, and 2010). The study, which is highly cited today, found that domestic abuse incidents increase by 26% when England win or draw, and by 38% if they lose.
