First Light’s national campaign used the power of sport to challenge domestic abuse and sexual violence, encouraging supporters, clubs, organisations and communities to play their part, call out abuse and blow the whistle.
First Light is celebrating the impact of its Blow the Whistle campaign, launched around the FIFA World Cup 2026 to raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence and promote safe, positive action across sporting spaces.
The campaign reframed the conversation away from blame-based narratives around football and alcohol, instead focusing on responsibility, allyship, safe intervention and access to specialist support. By using sport as a shared language, Blow the Whistle created opportunities for people to recognise harmful behaviour, speak up safely and help make support easier to find.
Campaign impact
Across First Light and partner channels, Blow the Whistle achieved an estimated reach of one million views across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The actual impact is likely to have been higher, with many organisations posting multiple times throughout the campaign period and supporters helping to amplify the message through shares, comments and staff-led activity.
In total, 67 organisations engaged with the campaign across social media, with 22 organisations publicly joining the campaign and agreeing for their logos to be displayed.
Together, participating organisations represented combined audiences of more than two million followers, helping the message reach communities well beyond First Light’s own channels.
Campaign supporters include:
Headline results
- Estimated reach of one million views across First Light and partner social media channels.
- 67 organisations engaged with the campaign across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- 22 organisations publicly joined the campaign by agreeing for their logos to be displayed.
- Participating organisations had combined audiences of more than two million followers.
- The message was further amplified through individual shares, reposts, comments, supporter activity and informal community conversations.
Keeping the conversation going
Although the FIFA World Cup has now ended, First Light will continue to take Blow the Whistle into wider sporting spaces. The campaign has shown the value of working with organisations, clubs and communities to challenge abuse, encourage allyship and make specialist support more visible.
By working together, we can help ensure fans, players, clubs and communities know how to recognise abuse, challenge harmful behaviour and access support when it is needed. Every conversation creates another opportunity to challenge abuse, support survivors and build safer spaces in sport and beyond.
