Key Summary
- Crimestoppers warns of a sharp rise in domestic abuse during the ongoing 2026 World Cup, with incidents spiking up to 38 per cent when England loses.
- In response to heightened risks, the Home Office has expanded 'Raneem’s Law', embedding specialists into 12 additional 999 control rooms.
- The initiative has already shown early success in pilot areas by allowing call handlers to rapidly identify high-risk cases and deploy safeguarding measures.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup ongoing, concerns are being raised about a potential rise in domestic abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG).
A study from the National Centre for Domestic Abuse has shown that domestic abuse incidents rose by around 11 per cent following national team matches - and when England lose a match, they rise by 38 per cent.
An estimated 2.3 million people in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2024, with women disproportionately affected.
Independent charity Crimestoppers’ campaign, ‘Let’s call time on abuse’, highlights the risk of domestic abuse during the 2026 World Cup and shows how to spot the warning signs that someone might be experiencing domestic abuse.
To strengthen emergency responses during this high-risk period, the Home Office has announced that the number of police forces operating the pioneering ‘Raneem’s Law’ has been trebled.
Six months on from the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy - Phase Two of the rollout of ‘Raneem’s Law’ will see domestic abuse specialists embedded in 12 more 999 control rooms across England and Wales.
The expansion targets key regional forces - including Thames Valley, West Yorkshire, Essex, Merseyside, and North Wales - bringing the total number of participating forces to 17.
Placing these independent specialists at the first point of contact allows them to guide emergency call handlers in real-time. Early reports from active police forces suggest the approach has significantly increased call-handler confidence, yielded earlier identification of high-risk scenarios, and prompted swifter safeguarding interventions.
With an estimated 3.8 million people experiencing domestic abuse last year alone, the government has committed a mandatory rollout of Raneem’s Law across every single force in England and Wales by 2029.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls Natalie Fleet said: “Last year, one in 8 women experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. No society that tolerates this level of violence can claim to be safe for women.
“That’s why we are rolling out the pioneering ‘Raneem’s Law’ to another 12 police forces in England and Wales, because every victim - no matter where they live - should be able to rely on a system that truly supports them.
“But we will not stop there. We will deploy the full power of the state to make this country safe for women and girls.”
