Call Time on Abuse Campaign Crimestoppers X Best Bar None Scotland

Best Bar None Scotland is supporting a new campaign from Crimestoppers to raise awareness of the increased risk of domestic abuse during major football tournaments and encourage people to ‘call time on abuse’ by reporting concerns anonymously to our charity.

For many people, the prospect of a football match brings excitement and celebration. But for others, match day can be a time of fear. Many partners find themselves on the edge of their seats for very different reasons, anxiously anticipating what may happen behind closed doors when the final whistle blows.

Research from the National Centre for Domestic Abuse highlights a concerning link between football matches and incidents of domestic abuse. Studies have shown that when England lose a match, domestic abuse incidents rise by 38%. Even when England win, incidents increase by 26%, while the day after a match — win, lose or draw — still sees an 11% rise in reported abuse.

The World Cup is an iconic festival of football, capable of bringing immense joy when a team wins and heartbreak when they lose. Tragically, for some families, match days become associated not with sport, but with fear, injury, and lasting trauma caused by domestic abuse.

Best Bar None Scotland’s support for the campaign reflects the hospitality sector’s important role in recognising vulnerability, creating safe environments, and helping raise awareness of the signs of abuse. By standing alongside this initiative, the organisation is helping amplify the message that abuse is never acceptable — in sport, at home, or anywhere else.

For many victims, reaching out for help or reporting abuse can feel overwhelming. However, information provided by someone else — a friend, neighbour, colleague, or member of the public — could protect someone at risk and may even save a life.

Domestic abuse can happen in any relationship and affect anyone — regardless of age or gender. Some warning signs that a person may be experiencing abuse include:

• Their partner puts them down in front of others
  They are constantly worried about making their partner angry
  They make excuses for their partner’s behaviour

• Their partner is extremely jealous or possessive
  They have unexplained marks or injuries
  They have stopped spending time with friends and family
  They appear depressed or anxious, or you notice changes in their personality

If you have information about domestic abuse and are not the victim yourself, you can pass on what you know completely anonymously — guaranteed. The only person who will ever know you contacted us is you.

To share information anonymously, call our 24/7 UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111 or complete the secure online form on our website Giving information anonymously | Crimestoppers

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