As tomorrow’s must-win England match in the World Cup draws nearer, the pressure is mounting.

The prospect of England losing, and being kicked out of the tournament, is unthinkable for both diehard and fairweather football fans. But some families across the district have more cause than most to dread the final score.

Agencies helping victims of domestic violence are drafting in extra staff to deal with a surge of calls expected to follow tomorrow’s England v Slovenia match.

Calls to Staying Put in Bradford, which works with abused women, helping to ensure they’re not forced out of their homes, have trebled since the World Cup started just over a week ago. The organisation expects another rise in calls this week, whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s match.

Staying Put manager Yasmin Khan says that, while there is never an excuse for domestic abuse, it’s generally the disappointment that men feel when watching football, especially when they’re drinking as well, that can lead to violence.

“There is so much hype around the World Cup, and so much expectation,” says Yasmin. “If England don’t do wel,l initially there’s disappointment, frustration and anger, and if they do well and reach the later stages of the tournament the tension is heightened.

“Either way, there are women in households who dread these matches because they know what the outcome will mean for them.”

Calls to Staying Put trebled following England’s first World Cup match against the USA, which resulted in a disappointing 1-1 draw.

“Last Monday, after the first match at the weekend, we struggled to cope with the volume of calls,” says Yasmin. “We’ve been flooded with calls already this week, following Friday’s 0-0 match against Algeria. When matches are on a weekend, women affected by domestic violence have to wait until Monday to contact us, but because this week’s England match is on a Wednesday they’ll be able to access us the following day.

“We have a strategy in place to put more staff on to deal with an increase in referrals on Thursday.

“It’s not just violence against women – it’s violence among young men, particularly when they’ve been drinking,” adds Yasmin. “Hopefully, the campaigning will get the message across that it’s unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.”

An advertising campaign launched in Bradford – ‘Don’t Let The World Cup Leave Its Mark On You’ – features startling images, including a female victim with bruises, scratches and a foot print on her back, attributed to a red card, a penalty and a disallowed goal. The images have appeared on posters in men’s toilets in pubs, and on beer mats.

The campaign, developed by West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Probation Trust and agencies such as Safer Communities Partnership and Bradford Council, is a response to statistics showing a regional 30 per cent increase in reports of domestic violence on England match days during the last World Cup in 2006. There were 285 more victims over the four-week period and an extra 270 people were arrested for domestic violence related offences.

Another campaign, launched by domestic violence charity Women’s Aid to coincide with the World Cup, features images of male celebrities wearing ‘Real Man’ T-shirts. Actors Max Beesley and Ricky Whittle, TV presenter Gethin Jones and singer Huey Morgan are some of the names fronting the ‘Real Man’ campaign, encouraging men to help end violence against women.

“We are asking ‘Real Men’ to help us send out the message that real men do not abuse and control women – physically, emotionally, sexually or financially,” says a spokeswoman.

During this year’s World Cup, police have been stepping up operations in Bradford to tackle the problem, with domestic violence response cars, containing equipment such as miniature video cameras, out in force during the tournament.

Chief Superintendent Alison Rose, chairman of the Safer Communities Partnership, says: “Those who abuse partners can expect to be removed from the home, charged and prosecuted. Bradford leads the UK in services for tackling domestic violence, including a self-referral perpetrators’ programme.”

Victims of domestic violence can contact Staying Put on (01274) 667104, or Domestic Violence Services Keighley on (01535) 210999. Help for those who are abusive to partners and want to stop is available from the Respect Phoneline on 0845 1228609 and the Worth Programme on 0794 9595227.