Project aims to educate Notts footballers on domestic abuse and healthy relationships

Chris Harris, of Broxtowe Women's Project.

Broxtowe Women’s Project, in partnership with the Nottinghamshire Football Association and Nottinghamshire Police, are raising awareness and increasing understanding of the subject matters by delivering specialist sessions within community football clubs.

More than 2,000 grassroots clubs in the county are talking tactics while benefitting from a unique programme which focuses on educating the local community when it comes to understanding, identifying, preventing, and speaking out about domestic abuse.

Every minute in the UK an incident of domestic abuse is reported to the police. It is estimated that on average one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic abuse at some stage in their lifetime.

It can take many forms including physical, emotional, financial, psychological, sexual and “honour based” violence.

Broxtowe Women’s Project is a support and advice charity for women, children and young people affected by such abuse.

Chris Harris, partnership manager at Broxtowe Women’s Project, said: “The funding has allowed us to work in partnership with Nottinghamshire FA to do some initial training work with grassroots clubs in the first 12 months.

“We have been looking at how they spot signs, what to do if they get a disclosure and how that fits with their safeguarding process.

“It’s also about recognising domestic abuse and the effects on children, where families may have been experiencing abusive behaviour.

“We appreciate that we’re not going to be able to speak to every parent and every player, so what we’ve got to do is educate the clubs’ welfare officers initially as they are usually the safeguarding lead for the organisations.

“The players need to know that they’ve got somewhere to go, and we’ve aimed for the top of each club and worked down so that everybody gets an opportunity to listen and learn.”

The sessions involve data capturing from attendees both before and after the training, in order to gain an understanding of their knowledge of the topics discussed.