Mel B in World Cup domestic abuse awareness push

Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown has backed a campaign to highlight the rise in reports of domestic violence when England play football.

One recent study suggested incidents rose by 38% when the national side lost and 26% when they won or drew.

In an effort to raise awareness of the issue, domestic abuse charity I Choose Freedom has launched its Unspoken Stat campaign.

Better known as Mel B, the singer, who was made an MBE for services to charitable causes and vulnerable women in 2022, said: "Football is the beautiful game, but as survivors, we know that there can be an ugly side to it."

Brown, 51, has previously spoken about her experiences of being in an abusive relationship, though her former partner has repeatedly denied the claims against him.

"[Football] doesn't cause domestic abuse, but police and public statistics show that incidents of domestic abuse go up significantly after big matches like the World Cup," she said.

"It's so important to raise awareness."

As part of their campaign I Choose Freedom has unveiled the idea of xV - or expected violence - similar to the existing metrics of xG (Expected Goals) and xA (Expected Assists).

A spokesperson for the charity said: "A study by Lancaster University has shown that domestic abuse incidents can rise by 38% when England lose and 26% even when England win, so xV is a statistic we all need to be aware of."

Meanwhile, a study from the University of Warwick found an England victory in an international tournament was followed by a 47% increase in the reported number of alcohol-related domestic abuse cases.

Elsewhere, Sussex Police saw the number of 999 calls linked to domestic violence double during the last World Cup in 2022.

Leeds Women's Aid and Leeds United have also backed the campaign ahead of England's fixture against Croatia at 21:00 BST.

Leeds Women's Aid said anyone seeking help should contact their 24/7 helpline.

Jeannette Morris-Boam, director of strategy, partnerships and influence at Leeds Women's Aid, said: "While an exciting time for football fans around the World, for those experiencing domestic abuse, large scale football tournaments can bring immense anticipation and dread, as factors like increased alcohol intake and heightened emotions can exacerbate abusive behaviours.

"This is a crucial opportunity to put violence against women is at the forefront of the conversation during the World Cup, and raise awareness of the support available."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story support is available via the BBC's Action Line.

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