Herts & Beds charity seeing domestic abuse increase during Euros
Impakt Housing & Support work with survivors of abuse across East Anglia
A charity based in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are calling on survivors to seek support this summer, with the number of incidents increasing because of the European Championships.
Impakt provides support across a wide range of support services across East Anglia.
As we head into the summer, Euro 2024 is well underway. England are playing Slovenia later with their place all but confirmed in the knock-out rounds.
While millions are celebrating across the country, for some International football tournaments are dark times.
Laura Plava is the Head of domestic abuse services at Impakt. She said, “We do see an increase in domestic violence during large sporting events, particularly things like the Euros and World Cup.
“I looked at our statistics and during the last 3 large events we’ve seen as big spike, quite a dramatic increase in domestic violence.”
Laura told us that there is support available for people, her advice to survivors is to reach out.
Speaking about the summer tournament, she said, "We welcome the opportunity to talk about the topic. It's the Euros, it's an opportunity to have a conversation to highlight what people are experiencing.
"We would encourage anyone who is experiencing or has experienced domestic abuse to speak out."
If you or someone you know wants to reach out to Impakt, the charity can be found online -https://impakt.org.uk/domestic-abuse/ or via:
Bedford Borough, Central Beds and Luton Borough - 01234 264109
North Hertfordshire and Stevenage - 0300 3735677
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24/7, 365 Days a Year - 0808 2000247