Murdered Zara believed women should be able to walk home alone | Gender pay gap gets worse

Grace. Inspiring women's stories. Read in browser The dark reality of an England World Cup defeat for thousands of women In the 2018 World Cup, a shocking statistic went viral. Domestic abuse rates increase by 38% when England lose a game in a major tournament. The figure was publised by a domestic

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Grace. Inspiring women's stories.

The dark reality of an England World Cup defeat for thousands of women

In the 2018 World Cup, a shocking statistic went viral. Domestic abuse rates increase by 38% when England lose a game in a major tournament.

The figure was publised by a domestic violence charity, based on research done by academics at Lancaster University in 2013. The study also showed that during the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups, there was a 26% rise in abuse when England won or drew a match.

Police forces around the country joined the calls to 'give domestic abuse the red card' because they had also seen a rise in calls during the previous World Cup.

Greater Manchester Police revealed a shocking 212 cases of domestic abuse were reported the day after England's quarter-final win over Sweden in 2018. That was more than any other day in that year, and more than 50 per cent higher than an average day.

In England and Wales, around 1.9million adults aged 16-59 experienced domestic abuse in 2016/17 - 1.2million of these were women.

The NSPCC also reported a 33% increase in calls to their helpline during the last World cup in 2018.

Monroe met her ex when she was at school and ended up staying with him for almost ten years - having a baby girl and getting married in that time.

As a schoolgirl the abuse didn't start straight away, but after a few months he started forcing her to give him her pocket money so that he could buy drugs.

As the years went on, it spiralled and she suffered many forms of domestic violence including, control, emotional, financial, physical and sexual abuse - but all of this seemed to be made worse for her when her ex-husband watched football.

In an interview in 2018, she told PlymouthLive: "It was quite difficult for me, but most nights we'd have the football on. He used to buy beer and then it would be the football. Me and the little one used to have to stay out the way because we couldn't interrupt or I knew his mood would be bad if they lost.

"It sounds really stupid but that's how it was for us. If they won he would probably disappear, go out and carry on drinking, or he'd be alright.

"But if they lost, it was horrible, it sounds really silly but when somebody is that passionate about football and they're abusive anyway, it's not a good combination especially with alcohol too."

Monroe added that there are many triggers to domestic abuse "but football is probably one of the biggest ones".

The World Cup also coincides with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, an annual international campaign that kicks off on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until December 10, Human Rights Day.

Where to get help

  • The 24 hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge is for women experiencing domestic abuse, their family, friends and others calling on their behalf. Phone: 0808 2000 247
  • If you're a child and in a situation where you may be experiencing domestic abuse, Childline can offer some advice or support via their free, 24-hour confidential helpline for children and young people who need to talk. Phone: 0800 1111 Website: Childline
  • Women's Aid provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic violence via the Survivor's Handbook and local domestic violence services.

    Visit the Women's Aid website

  • If you are in immediate danger, you should dial 999.


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Murdered law graduate 'thought women should be able to walk home alone'


A law graduate attacked and killed near where she lived believed women should be able to safely walk home alone, say her family.

Zara Aleena was just minutes from her front door in Ilford, Redbridge, when she was attacked in the early hours of Sunday.

The 35-year-old was a carer for her mum and grandma, and regularly made the trip between their address and her own at all times of day and night.

Police were called to the scene in Cranbrook Road at just before 2.45am following reports of an injured woman.

Zara died later that day in hospital.

At a hearing on Friday, Jordan McSweeney, of Dagenham, Essex, pleaded guilty to murder and sexual assault.

McSweeney had been released from prison just days before he preyed on Zara as she walked home from a night out in the early hours of Sunday, June 26.

The aspiring lawyer was said to be "the happiest she had ever been" before McSweeney launched a vicious attack that left her bleeding and struggling to breathe.

The sexual predator had targeted more than one woman before he launched his attack on Ms Aleena.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow KC had said McSweeney launched an "attack upon a lone female late at night making her way home, a woman who stood no chance".

The 29-year-old had been following Ms Aleena on her walk home before he pulled her into a driveway on Cranbrook Road, Ilford, east London.

He then subjected her to a ferocious assault, which included kicking and stamping on her, causing a serious head injury.

He sexually assaulted the law graduate and fled the scene of the crime with her mobile phone, keys and handbag, the prosecution said.

In total, McSweeney had 28 convictions for 69 separate offences including burglary, theft of a vehicle, criminal damage, assaulting police officers and assaulting members of the public while on bail.

Her aunt, Farah Naz, told how her niece had been aware of the dangers women face after the murders of Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.

However, she had felt "safe" walking in her local community because she was well-known there and didn't expect that anything would happen to her.

Ms Naz said: "Zara was not a woman who was unaware that there were dangers in the world. She did not imagine what happened to those women would happen to her. She didn't know she was going to be on this list because in her mind she took those precautions."


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