According to MeDiF, sexism is the most frequently reported form of discrimination in football. The numbers are increasing. As are the figures on intimate partner violence. Sport struggles to address these forms of violence.
According to the reporting office Discrimination In football NRW (MeDiF), sexism is the most frequently reported issue form of discrimination. The numbers are increasing. Just like the numbers too more cooperative Force. Football in particular shows how difficult sport is to address these forms of violence.
Of course, sexist insults are not the same as intimate partner violence. But sexism forms the basis for this violence and also the basis for how we deal with it publicly. This was shown not least by the speechlessness of those responsible at FC Bayern Munich in the case Jerome Boateng has shown.
This speechlessness is not an isolated case. It is part of a structure that would prefer to ignore gender-based violence – because it is bad for the image and therefore for business.
The role of the player’s wife
This is also reflected in the clear role assignments in men’s professional football. The players should be strong, leaderhave qualities, grit your teeth and repeatedly go beyond your own physical limits. A certain degree of aggression on the pitch is definitely desirable. Football rules set the limits with yellow and red cards. But at some point you always go back to the pitch.
The women alongside these men also have a clear role, says Verena Arps-Roelle from act & protectan organization that campaigns against sexual violence. “If players’ wives are well-adjusted, if they are presentable, if they are considered desirable, if they do not cause stress, then they are welcome to be shown off”says Arps-Roelle. “Then you’ll be happy to be photographed. Then you’ll be happy to be let into the VIP stand. Then you’ll be happy to earn money and advertise.”
In addition to these public appearances, attempts are also being made to protect the privacy of the players and their families. For completely understandable reasons. Because professional athletes – in contrast to many other people – practice their profession in public. Appropriate laws ensure that your privacy remains a protected space.
Intimate partner violence is not a private matter
Physical violence, however, is a punishable offense and can be reported accordingly and dealt with in court. It is therefore no longer part of the private sphere. And that causes unrest in the player’s environment: “The moment these women name a player as the perpetrator, they not only endanger the player’s reputation”explains Verena Arps-Roelle, “But they also endanger the reputation of the entire club and the entire sport.”
This is where the network of power begins its work: “The alarm bells ring for everyone involved and then attempts are made to discredit this woman and make her untrustworthy.” Or to declare the player’s behavior a private matter. It’s as if the professional player from whom the club earns its money had nothing to do with the private individual.
Unequal Distribution of power
But not all cases reach the public. The investigative journalist Maike Backhaus, together with Gabriela Keller and Jean Peters, revealed the power dynamics in the context of intimate partner violence for Correctiv in 2022. “For example, it’s about who has direct contact with the media.”she says and names two factors that play a role – interdependently: “Especially in the sports sector, there is a situation where athletes mean reach for the media. This means that making a mistake with someone or having a problem with someone then also becomes a problem when it comes to reporting.”
However, this dependency also becomes a problem for those affected by intimate partner violence. Because it is often not clear what awaits them when they speak publicly: “Many people were very, very worried about how the media would treat them.”reports Maike Backhaus. “Are they taken seriously? Is it a safe space? What am I promised, what can I rely on?”
Dealing with Kasia Lenhardt in particular has clearly shown how much hostility those affected can be exposed to when a case is heard publicly. Lenhardt was accused of destroying his family by her ex-partner Jérôme Boateng in a Bild interview in 2021. Hate messages, accusations and threats against her followed. Shortly afterwards, her family announced the 25-year-old’s death.
A question of money
Those affected by intimate partner violence also face an unequal balance of power financially: “Can I even afford to stand up for my rights? Can I even afford to speak?”are questions that play a role when it comes to reporting a case, says Backhaus. Because who can demand their rights is also a question of money.
This is how Backhaus shows the latest publication on the Jérôme Boateng case in Spiegel: “According to court documents, Boateng invested around 800,000 euros in his criminal defense, plus the costs for PR and media lawyers.” Women in particular who are financially dependent on their famous partners usually cannot afford similar expenses.
“That surprised me so much when I was researching”Maike Backhaus summarizes her experiences of the last few years, “That’s where we stand socially, that it has a lot to do with power, financial power, emotional power, but also network power.” A power imbalance that increases even further as soon as children are involved.
Performance before personality
Sports psychologist Jeannine Ohlert from the German Sports University in Cologne analyzes that athletes in male-dominated sports often attract attention due to violence in their relationships. This is also due to the structures. “We simply have the problem in competitive sports that the focus is exclusively on sport and as a result personal development is neglected in many areas.” Young competitive athletes and promising talents would live in a bubble in which they would be relieved of many tasks that are part of everyday life for others.
Tasks that are also part of personal development. In these contexts, women appear primarily as educators and service providers, and less often in leadership positions. Due to the focus on competitive sports, there is also a lack of time and opportunity to gain experience with the opposite sex in the crucial development phase between the ages of 15 and 17. And so also develop the ability to resolve relationship conflicts non-violently.
Sport as a solution environment
Jeannine Ohlert would like to have more time for young competitive athletes here. At the same time, research also shows other possible solutions: “In clubs where there is at least one woman on the board,” says the sports psychologist, “the probability is much higher that there are measures to prevent violence at various levels.”
Part of violence prevention is actually recognizing where violence begins, explains Mario Stahr, executive director of the Federal Working Group on Domestic Violence Perpetrator Work: “No relationship begins with violence”says the social worker. Only over time would this violent behavior build up. This could sometimes take years. This would usually be preceded by psychological violence in the form of control or devaluation of the other person.
He sees potential in sport to start right there. “Respect should relate to the entire context of violence and that is missing”says Stahr. His wish: that clubs in the first league and the national team take a clear position and speak out against violence against women: “That would actually be a signal they could send.” A sign that only has an effect if appropriate measures are followed. And perpetrators will only be allowed back onto the pitch when they show that they accept responsibility for their actions.
Contact points:
Violence against women helpline: 116 016
Women’s shelters:
http://www.frauenhauskoordinierung.de/
https://www.frauenhaus-suche.de/
http://www.frauen-gegen-violent.de/
Help for those who exercise violence People:
http://www.bag-taeterarbeit.de/
Further contact points at a glance