PRESS RELEASE: It’s Her Game Too (SFSA x HGT Female Fan Survey Results)

Date: 23rd February 2022

(Photo: @HomesOfFootball)

In recent female fan survey, the Scottish Football Supporters Association in association with #HerGameToo find

– MOST FEMALE FANS (79%) FEEL REPRESENTED AND WELCOMED BY CLUBS

– BUT NEARLY 50% OF RESPONDENTS HAVE WITNESSED SEXIST OR MISOGYNISTIC ABUSE – HOWEVER IT WON’T STOP THEM ATTENDING

– 1 IN 4 FEMALE FANS HAVE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED MISOGYNISTIC OR SEXIST COMMENTS AT MATCHES BUT STILL FEEL SAFE

– WORRYINGLY NEARLY HALF OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS DON’T KNOW WHO TO REPORT ABUSE TO

– AND FEMALE FANS WANT ANY COMPLAINTS TO BE “TAKEN SERIOUSLY”

23/02/22

The SFSA have been working in partnership with Her Game Too (HGT), a female fan-oriented movement founded in England.

As an organisation who aims to represents all fans equally, the SFSA offered our support to research how Scottish Female fans think the Scottish game treats its female fans.

Our starting point was to replicate earlier research from the English game.
This was to gather insights and understanding of actual female fans experiences supporting their teams in Scotland and to identify any issues that may be present which aren’t being addressed.

There are issues.

-25% of female fans in our Scottish survey said that had experienced sexist or misogynistic comments whilst attending matches.
-Nearly half said they had witnessed others receive similar abuse.
-Over a third said they had also received abuse online.
-And nearly half said they had received unpleasant comments within a social setting whilst watching football.
This suggests that age-old and outdated attitudes still exist towards female fans and there is a job to be done.

Andy Smith, Chairman of the SFSA said: “When it comes to looking after female fans Scottish Football is showing improvement but still has a way to go.
Sadly some dinosaurs still exist but I’m hopeful and confident that there is a wind of change blowing though society and the good news is it has reached football.
From top to bottom our game has to welcome female football supporters and the changes needed to keep them safe and happy.
The SFSA will continue to work with HGT we would encourage football to take this audience more seriously.
The commercial opportunities alone from growing the female audience beyond its current 8% should put this at the very top of all club’s agendas”.

Eve Ralph, Co-Founder of Her Game Too, said,

“When dealing with sexist or misogynistic complaints female fans simply want the matter to be “taken seriously” and for punishment of offenders to be handled appropriately, whether that be for abuse in the stadium or elsewhere.”

 

The full results of the survey can be found here:

https://scottishfsa.org/female-fan-survey-results/

 

The SFSA and HGT thank all participants for contributing to this research.

ENDS.

Contact:

 

Email: Murray@scottishfsa.org

 

NOTES

 

About SFSA:

• The Scottish Football Supporters Association (SFSA) is the national football supporter’s umbrella group representing fans of all Scottish clubs. It is the only independent fans’ body, with representation at Football Supporters Europe (see www.fanseurope.org).

 

SFSA has over 76,000 members and is well placed to support and deliver innovative programmes that can use the power of football to enhance the community.

 

The organisation is a volunteer-run, not for profit, social enterprise and is a Community Interest Company registered in Scotland. See http://www.scottishfsa.org.

 

SFSA has knowledge and experience of the structure and organisation of fans’ groups across the UK and in Europe. We have consulted widely with many football clubs, supporters groups, the Scottish Government as well as across the political parties in Scotland on behalf of fans. We have working relationships with both the SFA and the SPFL.
The organisation believes there is a need for supporters to have an independent collective influence within the game.

 

About HGT

• Her Game Too, founded by a group of 12 female football fans, are tackling the issues that they and many other women have experienced whilst watching or playing football.
  Misogynistic or sexist attitudes and comments have no place in football. Despite only being launched in May of 2021, the group have had immense support from across the game and many clubs across England have now agreed to work with them to break the stereotypical idea of Football – ‘the man’s game’.

 

You can watch their viral introductory video here: https://twitter.com/HerGameToo/status/1393491467641970695?s=20

 

By working with HGT, we at the SFSA highlight that female fans have to be a vital part of the Scottish football culture and the future of our sport.
As of 2019, 8% of Scottish football fans were female and this will only continue to increase as the female game grows across the world.
Therefore, it is fundamental that these fans feel represented and welcome across Scotland.

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