Hi all - Last night there was a program/documentary about the coinciding increase in domestic violence with the World Cup -(it focused on the UK only but I'm sure this applies in other countries). The program makers were very sympathetic, and the police portrayed on the program were also portrayed well. Of course, at one point, they did have to say that any man or woman (note the word "man") who reported domestic abuse, would be treated with the highest priority. But this was the only time they mentioned the man-word. Everyone knows that men, even if hit by a woman, are still at a greater advantage, and this hardly ever happens anyway, and all that counter-accusation about men under-reporting is crap too - but I'm getting side-tracked.....
In some cities where it was especially bad, they had even set up special units specifically in relation to the World cup and it's related increase in woman-beating.
There were some horrendous cases, and the main factor in common with most of the cases was the consumption of alcohol. Also, it didn't seem to matter whether or not the England team had done well or done badly, it was all just a testosterone-fuelled excuse to beat up women.
England has a worldwide reputation for "hooliganism" at football matches at an international level, and although the authorities here and in other countries, have addressed this somewhat, it looks like there is still a big problem on their home turf.
Edit - side note - , but yesterday, there was an article on aol about how the cameramen at the World cup matches must find it hard to concentrate sometimes due to all the totty female fans in the crowd. They showed a lovely gallery of all the flesh-exposing beauties. Ah, the "beautiful game" as they call it here. Isn't it great having this glorious event celebrating male-bonding and the football/sporting testoserone culture? Female fans indeed - what a load of bollox. If I find the link again I will post it. edit found it - here it is - also posted on the topic "more world cup crap-ola".
http://#####.aol.co.uk/world-cup/article.adp?id=20060616092409990002 - (type the word sport where the #'s are - also, I tested this link and it seems that when you copy and paste the link, it inserts and extra forward slash, so you have to delete that for the link to work - sorry).