A Bury-based ambassador for a campaign supporting women in football says abused levelled at fans 'happens more than you’d think'.
Samantha Harman, an ambassador for nationwide campaign Her Game Too says gender-based abuse levelled at fans still acts as a barrier to enjoyment of the game.
Sam, who is based at Bury AFC, promotes the work of the campaign which encourages greater inclusion of women, LGBTQ plus people and all individuals in the sport.
Her role involves liaising between the club and the campaign, whilst supporting fans and players to ensure that negative comments and abuse are dealt with.
She said: “I’ve not experienced anything personal for quite a long time, other than the odd comment on social media but I know lots of the other fans have.
“One of the volunteers experienced some quite disturbing comments, so it does happen a lot more than you’d think in this day and age.”
As well as supporting fans with negative experiences, Her Game Too promotes women's achievements in the sport and aims to make football a space in which everyone feels welcome.
As well as supporting fans with negative experiences, Her Game Too promotes women's achievements in the sport and aims to make football a space in which everyone feels welcome.
This includes promoting events involving the club’s women’s teams and championing initiatives such as providing free sanitary products in the bathrooms at Stainton Park, Radcliffe, the club’s base.
Samantha said: “Although it’s called Her Game Too, it doesn’t just stop at women, which is a wide spectrum for the LGBTQ plus community.
“Anybody is welcome at football, that’s what we’re trying to promote, whatever your sex is or your sexuality, you should be able to support football and should be able to do that without being abused.”
“The players, the fans and other other volunteers, they’re really behind Her Game Too.”
Although negative comments can be a barrier to women and LGBTQ plus people football, Samantha says attitudes towards fans of all genders are improving.
“Its comments from men, like, ‘you wouldn’t know the offside rule’ and ‘get back in the kitchen’ but that’s what were trying to do at Her Game Too, to stop that.
“If we want to watch football, who are you to say we can’t.”
Photo credit: Samantha Harman
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