FIFA, World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Commission have announced the # SafeHome campaign aimed at protecting women and children at risk of domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic. With many families quarantined around the globe following the pandemic, the latest domestic abuse incidents have seen spikes, while at-risk women and children are being pushed into unsafe conditions at home.
Several football stars from the past and present are taking part in the initiative to raise awareness. A five-part video campaign was launched by the three organizations to raise awareness, involving several past and present footballing stars.
Alvaro Arbeloa, Rosana Augusto, Vítor Baia, Khalilou Fadiga, Matthias Ginter, David James, Annike Krahn, Marco Materazzi, Milagros Menendez, Noemi Pascotto, Graham Potter, Mikael Silvestre, Kelly Smith, Oliver Torres, and Clementine Toure are among the players featured here.
“We are calling on the football community, along with the World Health Organization and the European Commission, to raise awareness about this unacceptable situation, which especially threatens women and children in their own homes, a place where they should feel comfortable, protected and secure,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a news release.
Last year the WHO and FIFA signed a four-year partnership to promote healthy lifestyles worldwide through football. According to the WHO, 30 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime by an intimate partner, and more than half of all boys and girls aged 2–17 years experience some form of emotional, physical, or sexual violence every year.
