Lancashire Police vow to kick sexism out of football: 'Misogyny will not be tolerated'

Police in Lancashire have launched a new campaign to tackle violence against women and girls in football, and have vowed to ‘kick misogyny out’ of the sport.

‘Operation Holcroft’ will work alongside football clubs across the county to raise awareness of sexist, abusive, and predatory behaviour both on the pitch and in the stands.

Officers, stewards, and matchday staff will be taught how to recognise signs of unacceptable behaviour, as well as how to report and and respond to any incidents while ensuring the safety of victims - and consequences for offenders.

It’s part of the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner’s ‘Get the Message’ campaign, which aims to tackle low-level harassment by encouraging men and boys to reflect on their or their companions’ behaviour, and intervene when sexism is taking place.

"More women and girls are involved in football and attend matches than ever before, and everyone should be able to enjoy the game without fear of harassment or abuse,” said Chief Inspector Mark Douglas, who is leading the operation.

"Sexist chanting, inappropriate comments, intimidation and abusive behaviour can have a significant impact on women attending football matches.

“This behaviour is not limited to the stadium or the duration of the game; it also takes place online.

“Women working at matches have also been targeted simply for doing their jobs.”

In 2025, Lancashire Police said they had seen a 16.3 per cent rise in the number of rape victims coming forward to the police, with the number of reported cases rising from 4,905 to 5,705.

In 2024, a survey from campaign group Kick It Out found that more than half (52 per cent) of female fans had experienced sexism while attending football matches.

The figures were overwhelmingly worse for female fans who were ethnic minorities, disabled, or part of the LGBTQ+ community.

A shocking 85 per cent of victims thought that there was ‘no point’ in reporting incidents because they thought nothing would be done, even as around half were told to leave matches (53 per cent) and received lewd requests (46 per cent), and more than a quarter encountered ‘sexually aggressive language’ (27 per cent).

Last year, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said that he had received 4,800 responses to his annual policing survey, saying that catcalling, unwanted comments, and intrusive staring remained serious issues in the county.

He said: "We must stand together to challenge these behaviours and call them out wherever they happen and I'm pleased to see the support from the football community to help us tackle misogyny.

"By working with clubs, supporters and partners across Lancashire, we can challenge misogyny, change attitudes and ensure women and girls can enjoy the game free from harassment and abuse."

“We know that the overwhelming majority of football fans do not behave in this way,” said CI Douglas.

“However, for too long, certain actions have been excused as part of football culture. They are not.

“Such behaviour is unacceptable, and we are committed to tackling it wherever it occurs.”