PL London clubs back Mayor’s campaign to end violence against women

London-based Premier League clubs have pledged their support for a campaign to help end violence against women and girls.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is uniting football and rugby clubs across the capital by sharing messages in stadiums to challenge the sexist attitudes and inappropriate behaviours exhibited by some men.

The hard-hitting campaign carries the message: “Male violence against women and girls starts with words. If you see it happening, have a word with yourself, then your mates.”

Research by UN Women UK indicated that 71 per cent of all women have experienced some form of sexual harassment in a public space with this number rising sharply to 86 per cent among 18-24 year olds.

Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and West Ham as well as rugby giants Harlequins and Saracens will install the message on mirrors in the men’s bathrooms in their stadiums, directing men to reflect on their own behaviour and to challenge the harmful behaviour of those around them.

The campaign message will be screened on public billboards and online, with clubs showing their support by installing graphics in their stadiums across the city.

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Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and West Ham as well as rugby giants Harlequins and Saracens will install the campaign’s message on mirrors in the men’s bathrooms in their stadiums

Nineteen football and rugby clubs will also feature an open letter from the Mayor to their fans in matchday programmes, which will ask men to reflect on the way they personally view, treat and talk about women.

The campaign is part of the Mayor’s refreshed strategy for tackling all forms of violence against women and girls. Khan joined Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira, Bromley captain Byron Webster and Marcus Gayle, former footballer and now Brentford coach and ambassador, at Selhurst Park to reveal details of the new initiative.

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A badge displaying the message of the new campaign, which reads: “Have a word with yourself”

Khan said: “In London and across the country we are facing an epidemic of violence against women and girls, committed by men. This must unsettle us all and force us to take a long hard look at ourselves. As men, we need to be reflecting on the way we view, treat and talk about women. That’s why this new campaign is about talking directly to men and boys to get the message across that words matter and that there’s a link between misogyny and violence.

“I want all of us to be challenging sexism and misogyny – whether it’s on the streets or online in a group chat, at home or in the pub – because we all have a responsibility to raise our voices to prevent violence and to help keep women and girls safe. Male violence against women and girls can start with words. If you see it happening, have a word with yourself, then your mates. It’s time we kick these rotten attitudes and behaviours out of our city and society for good.”

Between 2009 and 2019, on average, one woman was killed by a man every three days in the UK.

In 2020, 99 per cent of adult offenders sentenced or cautioned for sexual offences in London were men. Nearly all perpetrators of domestic abuse during the pandemic were men.

A campaign video premiered at half-time of Monday’s match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City depicting a scenario all too familiar to women and girls across the country. It focused on an interaction between a group of men and a lone woman waiting for a taxi home. The video demonstrates how men’s words and actions can make women feel unsafe and calls on men not to be bystanders, but to call out their friends, whenever they see harassment happening.

Vieira said: “This important campaign highlights to men and boys that our thoughts, actions and the way we behave can make a difference towards women. I’m proud that Crystal Palace FC has joined clubs in London to share the message that we must all do everything we can to eradicate violence against women and girls.”

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The campaign’s message will be displayed on the Underground and DLR

Bromley centre-back Webster, added: “I think the campaign is a really important one and as a club, we’re pleased to get behind it. Off the field, Bromley Football Club has done a lot of work to provide opportunities for women and girls, and equally, we’re keen to do our bit in raising awareness to protect women. With International Women’s Day taking place last week, it’s time for us all to think about how we can protect women around us.”

City Hall’s website will provide more information on the practical steps men can take to become allies and play a more active role in ending violence against women and girls. It will also provide guidance on how to safely challenge the potentially harmful attitudes and behaviours of other men around them.

Football and rugby clubs featuring matchday programme material

Premier League: Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, Watford, West Ham United

Championship: Fulham, Millwall, Queens Park Rangers

League One: Charlton Athletic

League Two Leyton Orient

National League: Barnet, Bromley, Dagenham & Redbridge, Wealdstone

Rugby: Harlequins, London Irish, Saracens

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