By Dr Tanya Finnie

The FIFA World Cup has just ended. State of Origin is back. Stadiums are full, televisions are on, and millions of people are celebrating the highs and lows that come with elite sport.

For most of us, a game is exactly that – a game. But for some women and children, the final whistle can mark the beginning of something else entirely.

Over the years, researchers have noticed a troubling pattern. Reports of domestic violence often increase around major sporting events. In England, one widely cited study found that reports of domestic abuse increased by 38% when the national football team lost during the FIFA World Cup. In New South Wales, research has found domestic assaults increase by more than 40% on State of Origin nights.

These statistics are confronting. They also deserve careful interpretation.

Sport does not cause domestic violence.

Most people who watch football, rugby or any other sport never become violent. Blaming the game itself would miss the point entirely.

Instead, major sporting events can amplify existing dynamics within relationships where coercion, control and violence are already present. Alcohol consumption, gambling losses, heightened emotions, disappointment and rigid ideas about masculinity may all contribute to an environment where abusive behaviour becomes more likely. None of these factors excuse violence, but they may help explain why police, emergency departments and domestic violence services prepare for these events long before the first whistle is blown.

That should give us pause.

Because this is not really a story about sport.

It is a story about culture.

Looking beyond the scoreboard

When we hear statistics like these, our instinct is often to ask, Why does sport make people violent?

Perhaps the better question is:

Why do some people respond to disappointment, frustration or perceived loss with violence against those closest to them?

That shifts the conversation from the event to the underlying beliefs, behaviours and social norms that make violence possible.

Violence rarely appears out of nowhere. It often exists within patterns of control, intimidation, entitlement and emotional dysregulation that have been developing long before a major sporting event.

The game simply becomes another trigger.

Why leaders should care

You might wonder why this matters to organisational leaders.

It’s because domestic violence doesn’t stay at home. It walks through workplace doors every day.

Employees experiencing family and domestic violence may arrive exhausted after a sleepless night. They may be distracted, anxious, or fearful of what awaits them after work. Some receive repeated phone calls or messages from abusive partners throughout the day. Others are forced to take leave, relocate, manage court proceedings or seek emergency accommodation.

For organisations, this is not just a private issue. It is a workplace wellbeing, safety and productivity issue.

Leaders don’t need to become counsellors.

But they do need to understand the signs, create psychologically safe workplaces and ensure that support systems exist for those who need them.

Culture is what happens under pressure

One of the reasons I spend so much time talking about culture is because culture reveals itself most clearly under pressure. Pressure doesn’t create our values. It exposes them.

The same applies to individuals, teams and societies.

When disappointment, alcohol or heightened emotion become catalysts for violence, the real issue isn’t the sporting event. It is the beliefs about power, control, emotional regulation and relationships that already existed beneath the surface.

Changing those beliefs is much harder than changing the sporting calendar. But it is also where lasting change begins.

A different way to watch the game

The next time a major sporting event dominates the headlines, enjoy the competition. Celebrate the athletes. Share the excitement. But spare a thought for the police officers preparing for an increase in call-outs.

For the domestic violence services extending staffing.

For the emergency departments expecting more presentations.

And most importantly, for the women and children who know that the result on the scoreboard may influence the mood waiting for them at home. For most of us, the scoreboard tells us who won.

For many women, it predicts the mood they will face at home.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family or domestic violence in Australia, support is available through 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or by visiting www.1800respect.org.au. In an emergency, always call 000.