Wanting to find out more about the way young female players perceive gender violence in football and in Romanian society in general, the Romanian Football Federation organized a focus-group with 10 young players (ages 14-18) from a third tier team that has both a men and a women squad. Some of the girls also played for teams in the first two Romanian leagues. In the meeting also took part one of the female team coaches, a former athlete. The focus group took place at the training ground of the team.
The players spoke about the violence they experience during games, from people at the sidelines (sometimes parents of their opponents), but also the physical and psychological abuse of women in Romanian society. In the opinions express during the focus group, the players considered gender violence to be rooted in the patriarchal belief system in Romanian society, where women are not seen as equals to men. That translates to football where, for example, audiences tend to support men’s teams more than they do women’s.
Some girls also experienced bullying at school – both from colleagues and teachers – because they play football. “The teachers found out that they play football, [n.r. they told me] ‘well football is for boys, how to play football’. I’m like, ‘what do you mean it’s for boys? I’m on a girls’ team’. When he heard about the girls’ team, he looked strangely [n.r. at me]. I didn’t say anything because I couldn’t talk to the teacher like that”, is the experience one of the girls told us about.
Another topic brought up by the participants was the one about media representation of male football and female football. The information about the women’s game is rarely brought up in the media, compared to the men’s teams, that are among the most mediatized sports teams in Romania and worldwide.

The focus-group was attended by:
• 10 young female football players
• One female team coach
• Two representatives of the Romanian Football Federation

Source: EURACTIV