SAFER

SAFER (Support & Awareness for Female fans in European football through Research, prevention, and remedy) was a three-year, Erasmus+-funded, multi-partner project led by Football Supporters Europe (FSE).

The project brought together football supporters, experts, and a wide range of football stakeholders to address gender-based violence and discrimination in the game. Its focus was on developing effective prevention and remedy mechanisms for football supporters and other match-day attendees.

The partners:

• Football Supporters Europe, Germany (lead partner)
• Atletico San Lorenzo, Italy
• Autoridade para a Prevenção e o Combate à Violência no Desporto (APCVD), Portugal
• University of Gdansk, Poland
• FanNetværket for Kvinder, Denmark
• Deutscher Fußball-Bund, Germany

Through extensive consultation with affected groups, survivors of gender-based violence, match organisers, and specialists in prevention and remedy mechanisms, the SAFER consortium collated innovative, evidence-based responses to gender-based violence in and around football stadia. This work formed the basis for practical recommendations aimed at moving the game towards prevention, accountability, and improved support for those affected.

The project was supported by UEFA, the Sport & Rights Alliance, and the Centre for Sport & Human Rights.

Over its duration, SAFER delivered its objectives through:

• research into the scale and nature of gender-based violence in football stadia and match-related environments;
• the identification and promotion of good practice, alongside the development of prevention-focused recommendations; and
• the production of a dedicated remedy policy and accompanying guidelines to support survivors of gender-based violence.

Together, these outputs were designed to contribute to a football environment that is safe, inclusive, and welcoming to all, both on the pitch and in the stands.

All project resources are available below, along with a collection of articles and updates published throughout the lifetime of the SAFER project.

---

Resources

SAFER Project Handbook – Download

---

Project News