Tackling abuse in women’s football: Practical steps for professional organisations and grassroots sport

“Abuse” is a broad term, particularly depending on the context in which it is used. In general terms, it includes grooming, sexual, physical, and emotional assaults, image-based wrongdoing, racial or misogynistic behaviour, online abuse, controlling and coercive behaviours, and discrimination among others. Within sport abuse can also present itself as manipulation of a power imbalance inherent to different relationships, for example, between coaches and players. Regardless of the way it occurs, abuse is not acceptable, and victims of abuse are entitled to accountability. As a solicitor who acts on behalf of victims of abuse in civil claims, the author hears shocking stories relating to abuse in women’s football and the ways in which it presents. However, the cases seem neither to receive the attention they deserve, nor the action to stem the underlying issues and causes. Many of the problems are widespread and aren’t new – for example:  

• Over half of female fans state that they experience sexism at matches^[1];
• Female fans campaigners, Her Game Too, received eighty reports^[2] of sexual harassment and abuse at matches from the end of 2021 to December 2022;
• In 2024, Former Fulham’s women’s captain Ronnie Gibbons reported that she was sexually assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed in 2000 on more than one occasion^[3];

When reading statistics and news articles, there is a temptation to keep the realities of abuse at arm’s length or even to look away, but the author encourages you as a reader to remember the women and girls who are the real people behind these numbers. It is understandably easy to feel powerless when reading about abuse.

• Main problem areas
  • Disproportionate risk to girls and children
  • Sexism and discrimination
  • Social media/online platforms for abuse
• Proposed action
  • Steps for senior leadership at clubs/organisations
  • Steps for grassroots level participants and more broadly:
  • Steps for government

While the article focuses on football in the UK, the author believes that the experiences and lessons will – unfortunately – be very relatable to many other sports and jurisdictions.