Nearly half of female football fans in England and Wales have faced sexist or misogynistic abuse at matches, yet most have never reported it, a new study by the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out revealed Wednesday.
The survey of 1,502 participants highlighted various forms of sexist behavior, including wolf-whistling, being questioned about their knowledge of the game, and persistent harassment.
Among those surveyed, 7% reported inappropriate touching, 3% experienced physical violence and 2% were victims of sexual assault or harassment.
Although the research showed sexism remains a significant issue for female match-goers, 77% said they felt safe attending matches, and four in 10 stated their experiences had improved over time.
However, ethnic minorities, those with disabilities and younger people were more likely to feel unsafe and experience sexism in a football setting, the research found.
The vast majority of those surveyed, 85%, said they had never reported the abuse, mainly because they did not believe it would make a difference.
"Football needs to step up to ensure sexism is taken seriously and that women feel safe and confident reporting discrimination," said Hollie Varney from Kick It Out. "We've seen reports of sexism to Kick It Out increase significantly in recent seasons."
The research also highlighted the use of sexist language, with 53% of respondents saying they had experienced or witnessed women being told they should be elsewhere, such as "back in the kitchen."
Using the research data, Kick It Out has launched a campaign to ensure women fans know sexist abuse is discrimination and can be reported, and to show male fans how they can challenge such behaviors when they see them.
Reports of sexism in football extend beyond fans' experiences. In 2014, a female employee exposed sexist emails sent by former Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, leading to an apology from him.
In 2018, the British Football Association was forced to apologize after it was accused of sexism for sharing a picture on X of the England women's football team with the caption: "Scrub up well, don't they?"
In Spain, former football federation chief Luis Rubiales will stand trial for his unsolicited kiss of women's national team player Jenni Hermoso in August last year.
For players and fans, this incident highlighted that despite progress in the women's game, more structural change is needed.
