As residents gather to watch football matches, Haringey Council is encouraging men to seek help when needed, and to also call out male friends, colleagues, and family members.
It is teaming up with local businesses, pubs, bars, restaurants, and cafes to display thousands of mats carrying strong messages such as ‘choose to stop,’ ‘choose to step in,’ and ‘choose to seek support.’
Domestic abuse increases during tournaments with data from 2022 showing a rise in reported incidents of 26% if England play, 38% if England lose, and 11% the next day, win or lose.
Dr Will Maimaris, Director of Public Health at Haringey Council, said:
“Any violence in our borough is not tolerated and should be stopped.
“That’s why we’re working with our amazing partners in the borough to encourage people to call out friends and family for behaviour they know is unacceptable, and to offer support when needed.
“Violence against women and girls is everyone’s responsibility – we look forward to tackling abuse together on this campaign.”
Patrick of The Faltering Fullback, Stroud Green, who have signed up to receive their free beer mats and posters said:
“As business owners, we see first-hand the damage to lives that domestic abuse can do. We’re proud to be working with the council during the Euros to help tackle abuse in Haringey.”
Beer mats and posters carry the following messages:
- Choose to stop – If your behaviours are harming the people you love, or costing you your relationships, you can do things differently.
- Choose to step in - Have a word and call out your mates when you see them saying or doing inappropriate things towards women.
- Choose to step in – abuse isn’t just physical. Controlling behaviours, catcalling, or shouting at women in the street is abuse. Call out bad behaviour.
- Choose to seek support - Help and support is out there if you're not feeling safe in your relationship or free to make decisions.
- Choose to change – safely tackling violence against women and girls is everybody's responsibility, we all need to be part of that change.
To get an order of beer mats and/or posters, please email VAWG@haringey.gov.uk – the beer mats will be accompanied by posters for bathrooms/display notices in bars and pubs.
There are five different colours available, and premises may use them in any way they see fit.
