• by Fern Siegel , June 27, 2024

Whether football in the U.S. or soccer in Europe, domestic violence often escalates after matches.

Women’s Aid is highlighting the darker side of England's passion for soccer in the latest iteration of its “He’s Coming Home” campaign.

House 337 is responsible for the creative, which coincides with this summer’s Euros 2024 tournament, running through July 14.

The campaign features specially created classic soccer scarves imprinted with well-known sports chants revamped to highlight the domestic-abuse emergency. Slogans include: “No More Years of Hurt,” “He’s Coming Home” and “England Till I Die.”

Research by Lancaster University showed cases of domestic abuse increased by 38% when England lost a match and 26% when they won or drew. 

Women’s Aid hopes to mobilize both the public and politicians to address the dire consequences of abuse.

Scarves are being sent to key influencers, such as Mel B, and will be featured on social media and OOH ads.

Interwoven on the scarves are misogynistic terms and sayings that perpetuate domestic-abuse emergency. The longer you look, the more you see, reflecting how domestic abuse is often hidden in plain sight.

The OOH ads will run across selected Clear Channel and Ocean Outdoor sites in England. The online campaign will run across social channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The work alerts survivors where to get help, while the public learns about supporting charities like Women's Aid.

Charlie Hurrell, Chief Client Officer at House 337, said: “For most of us, the Euros will be a time to enjoy some great football and a sense of hope and unity as we support our teams — which makes it all the more powerful a moment to get the message out about the dark side of these tournaments. Repurposing the most iconic and powerful phrases in British football is an incredibly effective way of raising awareness of domestic abuse.”

The 2022 campaign by House 337 generated 23 million TikTok views and extensive sharing across platforms. Women’s Aid saw a 78% increase in traffic to its website driven by social media, and a 44% rise in visits to its donate page. There was also a 17% rise in visits to its information and support page.