#TeamNorthMid blogs

Those of you who follow me on Twitter will probably have seen that my handle is @BimalPatelYNWA, so it’s unlikely to be a big surprise I am both an avid football fan, and have been paying close interest to the run-up to the World Cup 2022.

But while I’m excited to watch matches on TV with my friends and family, and follow England’s progress through the stages (fingers crossed!) I’m very aware that for lots of people, the tension of the tournament extends far beyond the stadium or broadcast games.

This year, White Ribbon Day – the annual awareness day which marks the start of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence – coincides with the start of the World Cup, taking place this year in Qatar.

The timing might be coincidence, but it’s no accident that during major football tournaments, whether international or at home, there is a massive rise in incidents of domestic violence, predominantly against women.

Rise in abuse when England lose

University researchers found that incidents of domestic abuse rose by 38% when the England men’s national team played and lost an international match, and by 26% when they played and won, compared to days without England matches, and researchers identified that “intensified concepts of masculinity, rivalry and aggression” were major contributors.

So, as a football fan, and as North Mid’s executive ambassador for the White Ribbon campaign, but more importantly, as a man, and as a human being, I want to take the opportunity to shout about my absolute commitment to eradicating violence against women and girls, and ask you to join with me in taking action to end it.

Research by the Cavell Trust a few years ago found that one in seven nurses, midwives and health care assistants have experienced domestic abuse, and that nurses – who form the biggest single professional staff group at North Mid – are three times more likely to experience domestic violence than the average UK population. With nearly nine out of 10 nurses being female, this is a gender disparity it’s inhuman to ignore in the NHS.

It’s this overlap between male-perpetrated violence and the increased rate of domestic abuse associated with international football tournaments which is at the heart of White Ribbon UK’s 2022 campaign, calling for an end to the toxic traits which masquerade as masculinity.

Breaking out of societal stereotypes

White Ribbon UK is challenging us all to break out of the restrictions that stereotypical societal expectations impose, and have identified 11 different traits – one for each player in a football team – that men and boys can adopt, in order to shift expectations that violent and abusive behaviour and attitudes are normal and cannot be changed.

The 11 traits are:

• Allyship
• Caringness
• Empathy
• Courage
• Gentleness
• Resilience
• Reliability
• Hopefulness
• Principles
• Reflection
• Supportiveness

I’m both proud and humble to support the White Ribbon campaign, and I know that as a man, a father, and a leader, I can play a significant role in creating a society where men and boys are committed to equality and safety for women and girls to live without fear of violence. This is always #TheGoal.