The Dangerous Side of the World Cup

"Nobody wanted England to win more than women,” says the Tender Education and Arts Organization in a new PSA, referencing the humiliating defeat that stunned a nation full of football fanatics. After loosing to Italy and Uruguay, England was dismissed from the 2014 World Cup tournament, disappointing millions of fans who expected their team to persevere beyond this short-lived run. But the PSA points out that the loss could lead to more than just sadness for devotees of England's team. The video, released on Wednesday as part of the #StandUpWorldCup campaign, offers a new and chilling perspective on the implications of this defeat for victims of domestic abuse.

The video features a lonely woman in a dimly lit living room, engrossed in a England's final match. When the team looses, she turns off the TV, wide-eyed and ghostly pale. Her expression is not rooted in disappointment, but rather, in anticipation of what the defeat means for her personal safety. Mostly because, as the PSA tells us:

Domestic violence rises 38 percent when England get knocked out of the World Cup.

The commercial is based off of a study from criminologist Dr. Stuart Kirby, a former police offer who monitored levels of domestic violence during the last three World Cups. Surprisingly, he also found that levels of abuse spiked by approximately 26 percent even when even when England won a game.

In response to this research, police in England issued warnings to men and women before England's initial match. In many areas of the UK, police upped their presence during the tournament and many control rooms began to equip themselves with domestic violence intelligence teams.

The PSA reminds us that crowded pubs and pints of beer are all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Watch it below, and find out more stats about domestic violence during the World Cup here:

Image: Tender Education and Arts