One in five women experience unwanted physical attention at football matches, survey reveals

It marked a rise of 12 per cent from the last survey in 2014

A fans survey has shown a growing intolerance of sexist behaviour at football matches (Barrington Coombs/PA) (PA Wire)

One in five women have reported unwanted physical attention while attending men’s football matches, a new survey has revealed.

The Football Supporters’ Association’s Women at the Match survey, which measured current attitudes against those of fans in 2014, found the number of women who had reported it had risen from eight per cent to 20 per cent.

Almost half of the 2,000 match-goers who completed the survey (49 per cent) said that witnessing sexist behaviour made them angry, compared with one in three (29 per cent) seven years ago.

Four in 10 (39 per cent) of those surveyed said they would like to see sexists ejected from stadiums – up from 26 per cent in 2014.

FSA board member and Port Vale fan Ally Simcock said: “I’ve been going to men’s football for a long time now and have heard my share of sexist comments, but a lot has changed recently.

“Things like the #MeToo movement have helped change people’s perceptions about what they’re willing to put up with, and what is or isn’t acceptable.

“The FSA is absolutely clear on this. There is no place whatsoever at football for sexist or misogynistic behaviour.

“We’d encourage all supporters to challenge it, and if necessary, report it to their club or the authorities.”

Back in 2014, almost one in three (32 per cent) said they were “generally not bothered” about witnessing sexism at matches, whereas today only one in every seven fans (15 per cent) have the same attitude.

Previously, one in four women at the match (24 per cent) would have laughed off sexism compared with one in eight (12 per cent) today, the survey revealed.

One in 20 fans (five per cent) who took part in the survey said that witnessing sexist behaviour at games made them not want to attend in future.