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Service Tag: Blow The Whistle

Blow the Whistle campaign reaches an estimated 1 million people during FIFA World Cup 2026

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.

Blow the Whistle: A National Campaign to Challenge Abuse Through Sport

Launching around the FIFA World Cup 2026, First Light is proud to introduce Blow the Whistle – a national campaign using the power of sport to challenge domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Sport brings people together. It shapes attitudes, teaches values, and reaches millions across England and Wales. Blow the Whistle harnesses the shared language, symbols and spirit of sport to encourage people to recognise abuse, speak up safely, and connect to specialist support.

At its heart, the campaign is built on a simple idea: abuse has no place in sport or the communities it brings together.

Why Blow the Whistle?

Domestic abuse and sexual violence remain widespread, yet they are often hidden, minimised or misunderstood. Harmful behaviours, including emotional abuse, coercive control and intimidation, are frequently normalised, and many people who notice warning signs do not feel confident to intervene or speak out.

Major sporting tournaments like the World Cup are moments of heightened emotion, visibility and connection. They can be positive and unifying, but they can also increase risk within some relationships. Blow the Whistle responds to this reality in a preventative and supportive way, focusing on awareness, responsibility and access to help rather than blame.

Crucially, the campaign does not position sport as the problem. Instead, it recognises sport as a powerful force for cultural change, grounded in values of fairness, respect and accountability.

Blowing the whistle means:

  • Noticing when something isn’t right
  • Calling out abusive behaviour safely
  • Checking in and showing care
  • Making support visible and accessible

What the Campaign Aims to Achieve

The overall purpose of Blow the Whistle is to reduce tolerance of abuse by increasing awareness, encouraging action and strengthening pathways to support.

The campaign aims to:

  • Increase understanding of domestic abuse and sexual violence, including non-physical forms of harm
  • Encourage people to recognise warning signs and feel able to call out abuse safely
  • Reinforce that silence allows abuse to continue, while support and action can protect people
  • Promote awareness of specialist support services and how to access them
  • Embed messages of respect, fairness and safety within sporting culture

These aims are delivered through high visibility activity, consistent messaging and clear signposting to support.

The Core Idea: Blowing the Whistle

In sport, the whistle stops play, calls out a foul and protects participants. It symbolises fairness, authority and accountability.

Blow the Whistle extends this action beyond the pitch. When something isn’t right, in relationships, homes or communities, we stop, we speak up, and we support those affected.

The whistle acts as both a visual symbol and a collective action. It is easy to understand, works across all sports, and allows individuals, clubs and organisations to show support without needing specialist knowledge or complex messaging.

Key Campaign Messages

Four clear messages run through all campaign activity:

Abuse has no place in sport
Sport is built on respect, fairness and teamwork. Abuse violates these values and should never be accepted.

Everyone has a role to play
Fans, players, coaches, referees, clubs and organisations all shape culture. Change happens when responsibility is shared.

Silence allows abuse to continue
Noticing harm and saying nothing enables it. Speaking up, checking in or signposting support can interrupt abuse.

Support is available
No one has to face abuse alone. Confidential, specialist help is available for anyone experiencing abuse or worried about someone else.

A Collective National Campaign

Blow the Whistle is intentionally designed as a collective effort. While First Light leads on strategy, safeguarding and survivor-centred practice, the campaign depends on sports organisations, clubs, charities, public bodies and community groups taking visible action together.

Launched around football, the campaign is multi-sport and adaptable, making it relevant across professional sport, grassroots clubs and local communities.

How to Get Involved

Organisations and individuals can take part in ways that suit them. This might include:

  • Sharing campaign messages and visuals online
  • Taking part in the national “Blow the Whistle” moment during the World Cup
  • Displaying posters or digital signage in venues or workplaces
  • Encouraging staff, volunteers or members to engage with the campaign
  • Embedding the campaign within existing safeguarding or wellbeing activity

Every action, big or small, helps reinforce a shared stand against abuse.

👉 Find out how to get involved, access resources and learn more at: https://www.firstlight.org.uk/blowthewhistle

Standing Together for Change

Blow the Whistle invites everyone who cares about sport to take shared responsibility for challenging abuse. By linking the familiar act of blowing a whistle with stopping harm and supporting others, the campaign offers an accessible and values-led way to act.

Abuse is always a foul.
Respect is part of the game.
When we see harm, it’s time to blow the whistle.

Campaign supporters include:

This campaign is growing, with more organisations joining regularly.

By standing together, supporters help amplify a shared message and show that challenging abuse is a collective responsibility.

Abuse from Online Dating: The Invisible Issue

New First Light research reveals widespread abuse on dating apps, and why it is often missed, normalised or unsupported

 

“You start to expect it, the messages, the pressure, the pictures you didn’t ask for. It just feels like part of using dating apps.”

Online dating is part of everyday life for many people. Dating apps can offer connection, choice and opportunity.
But new research from First Light shows that they can also be places where abuse happens, often repeatedly, and often without support.

Our research, Abuse from Online Dating: The Invisible Issue, shows that abuse linked to dating apps is common, normalised and under‑reported. Many people who took part were unsure whether what they experienced counted as abuse, or where they could go for help.

This work is part of First Light’s wider focus on Digital Non‑Contact Abuse, abuse that happens in online and digital spaces, even when there is no physical contact.

 

About the research

This study brings together lived experience and professional insight to understand abuse linked to online dating.

  • 131 people who use dating apps shared their experiences
  • 32 professionals shared insights from services including domestic abuse, sexual violence, policing, safeguarding, youth work, health and criminal justice

Together, these voices show how abuse that starts online is often minimised, misunderstood or not recorded, even though it has real and lasting effects.

 

When abuse starts to feel ‘normal’

Many people described harmful behaviour as something they had come to expect when using dating apps.

Our research found that:

  • Nearly 90% said being sent sexual images without consent was common or very common
  • 84% had received messages, images or videos they did not want
  • 73% had felt harassed by someone they matched with
  • 63% felt pressured to send intimate images
  • 64% felt pressured to meet in person before they were ready

“I stopped seeing it as abuse because it happened so often. It just became normal, even though it made me feel unsafe.”

People often described behaviour getting worse after they said no or set boundaries.

“When I said no, the tone immediately changed. That’s when the abuse started.”

 

Digital abuse does not need physical contact

Not everyone experienced abuse after meeting someone in person.
Many described serious harm that happened entirely online.

This included:

  • repeated unwanted messages
  • sexualised or threatening content
  • pressure, control or manipulation
  • stalking and harassment
  • sharing or threatening to share intimate images
  • pretending to be someone else

“Nothing physical happened, but it still affected everything, how I slept, how I trusted people, how safe I felt online.”

The research shows clearly that digital non‑contact abuse is real abuse, with impacts that can last long after the messages stop.

“People think it’s only serious if you meet in person  but the impact starts long before that.”

 

Low reporting and limited support

Despite how common abuse was, many people did not report it or seek help.

Our research found that:

  • Only just over half had ever reported behaviour to a dating app
  • One third did not report it at all
  • 13% wanted to report but didn’t know how
  • Around 1 in 10 contacted the police
  • Almost 60% did not know where to go for support
  • Only 14.5% had contacted a specialist organisation

Many people felt they would not be believed, or that what happened was not “serious enough”.

“I didn’t report it because I thought I was overreacting. It didn’t feel ‘bad enough’ to count.”

 

Professionals see the harm, but systems have gaps

Professionals across many services said they are seeing more online‑dating‑related abuse.
However, many also said:

  • it is not always clear whether their service can respond
  • digital abuse is recorded differently (or not at all)
  • online dating is often hidden in case notes rather than data

This means abuse can be difficult to track, understand and plan services around, leaving people without consistent support.

 

Safeguarding concerns for young people

The research also raised serious safeguarding concerns.

Despite age restrictions, 16–17‑year‑olds were found using dating platforms, with professionals reporting increasing exposure to sexualised and coercive behaviour.

These findings reflect wider risks across digital spaces and highlight the need for better protection, prevention and education.

 

Part of our wider work on Digital Non‑Contact Abuse

This research sits within First Light’s wider work on Digital Non‑Contact Abuse harm that happens across:

  • dating apps
  • social media and messaging platforms
  • gaming and live‑chat spaces
  • immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR)
  • emerging AI‑driven technologies

As digital spaces grow and change, they must be recognised as real places where abuse happens and addressed with the same seriousness as offline harm.

 

Working together to improve responses

In response to the findings, First Light is developing new collaborative work with professional services, commissioners and partners.

This work aims to:

  • improve how digital abuse is identified
  • support clearer definitions and shared understanding
  • improve how abuse is recorded and tracked
  • create clearer, joined‑up support pathways

We invite organisations across safeguarding, health, criminal justice, education and digital regulation to be part of this work.

 

Read the full research

📄 Download the full report: Abuse from Online Dating: The Invisible Issue

If you have experienced abuse through online dating or other digital platforms, First Light is here to help.
Visit our Support pages for confidential advice and support.

 

Thank you

We thank everyone who shared their experiences and expertise. Your voices have helped make visible an issue that is too often overlooked and will inform future policy, commissioning and service responses.

This research was funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, recognising the urgent need to address harm in digital spaces.

 

Safe Spaces

First Light

Plymouth Community Housing

Devon and Cornwall Police

Ahimsa

Blow the Whistle – A National Campaign to Challenge Abuse Through Sport

Blow The Whistle
A National Campaign to Challenge Abuse Through Sport

Play your part. Call out abuse. Blow the whistle.

Blow the Whistle is a national campaign calling on everyone to take a clear stand against domestic abuse and sexual violence through sport.

Launching alongside the FIFA World Cup 2026, the campaign uses the powerful, familiar act of blowing the whistle to make one message unmistakably clear:

Abuse has no place in sport, or in our communities.

Get involved

Campaign supporters include:

This campaign is growing, with more organisations joining regularly.

By standing together, supporters help amplify a shared message and show that challenging abuse is a collective responsibility.

What “blowing the whistle” means

 Noticing when something isn’t right

Calling out abusive behaviour

Checking in and showing care

Making support visible and accessible

Why this campaign matters

Domestic abuse and sexual violence are widespread, but often hidden, minimised or misunderstood. Harmful behaviours, including emotional abuse, coercive control and intimidation, can become normalised, overlooked or dismissed as “not serious enough”.

Many people notice when something isn’t right, but:

  • Don’t always recognise abuse for what it is
  • Aren’t sure if it’s their place to speak up
  • Don’t know what to say, or where to signpost for help

Blow the Whistle exists to change that culture.

It encourages people to recognise abuse, call it out, and help direct others towards support, safely, clearly and without blame.

How you can get involved

You don’t need expertise to take part. You just need to care.

Individuals and fans can:

  • Share campaign messages and posters on social media
  • Talk about respect, safety and speaking up
  • Take part in the national Blow the Whistle moment during the World Cup
  • Check in on someone you’re worried about
  • Share support information when it’s needed

Clubs, organisations and community groups can:

  • Display campaign posters and digital visuals
  • Encourage staff, volunteers or members to engage
  • Embed the message into safeguarding or wellbeing activity
  • Publicly show support alongside others nationwide
  • Use you own branding to share the message
Get Involved

Campaign resources

Everything here is designed to be easy to use, and easy to share.

[Campaign Guide for Resources]

Social Media & Campaign Guide
Campaign Assets

Posters and visuals

Use these posters in clubhouses, venues, workplaces, GP surgeries, community spaces or online.

Campaign Posters

Organisations getting behind the campaign

Blow the Whistle is a collective campaign. Change happens when organisations stand together.

Below are some of the clubs, organisations and partners publicly supporting the campaign.

Are you an organisation? Get involved

Online Resources

Be part of the movement

Blow the Whistle is a collective campaign.
Its impact comes from people and organisations standing together and using a shared message to challenge abuse and promote change.

If you’d like to join the growing number of organisations supporting the campaign or learn more about getting involved, click below:

 

Find out how to get involved

A shared stand against abuse

When something isn’t right, we stop play.

Abuse is always a foul.
Respect is part of the game.
When we see harm, it’s time to blow the whistle.

Together, we send a clear message.

Abuse is not ignored, no one is left to face it alone, and support is always available.

When something isn’t right, in relationships, at home, at work, or in our communities,
we stop, we notice, and we act.
We don’t look away.

Blow the Whistle – Get Involved

Blow the Whistle

Play your part. Call out abuse. Blow the whistle.

Blow the Whistle is a national campaign inviting everyone to take a clear stand against domestic abuse and sexual violence through sport.

 

Launching alongside the FIFA World Cup, on Thursday 11th June 2026.

The campaign uses the simple and powerful idea of blowing the whistle to say:

Abuse has no place in sport, in our homes, or in our communities.

 

Sport brings people together, shapes behaviour and sets standards. Blow the Whistle asks fans, organisations and businesses to use this shared moment to call out abuse, promote respect, and help people know where to get support.

Jump to

At a glance

One simple action. One shared moment. One clear message.

  • What: Share a Blow the Whistle message
  • When: At the start of the World Cup on Thursday 11th June at 12pm.
  • How: Your own branded content or our templates
  • Must include: “Blow the whistle.” on the content imagery
  • Joint communications for shared message:  Will be shared prior to launch, using #BlowTheWhistle
Learn more about the Campaign

Join the organisations blowing the whistle on abuse

Blow the Whistle is a collective national campaign.
Its strength comes from organisations standing together to promote respect, safety and accountability through sport and community life.

Whether you’re a sports club, charity, governing body, public service or community organisation, getting involved shows a visible commitment to challenging domestic abuse and sexual violence and helping people access support.

This page explains what taking part involves and how to sign up.

This campaign is growing, with more organisations joining regularly.

By standing together, supporters help amplify a shared message and show that challenging abuse is a collective responsibility.

Why get involved?

By joining Blow the Whistle, your organisation helps to:

  • Challenge tolerance of abuse using a clear, shared message
  • Reinforce values of fairness, respect and safety associated with sport
  • Encourage people to speak up when something isn’t right
  • Signpost specialist support without needing in‑house expertise
  • Be part of a recognised national campaign launching around the FIFA World Cup 2026

Participation is flexible. There’s no minimum commitment, and organisations can engage in ways that fit their size, capacity and audience.

How the campaign works

Blow the Whistle is a collective campaign. That means everyone can take part in a way that fits their organisation, audience and capacity.

The key campaign moment

  • At the start of the World Cup, we’re asking everyone involved to share a public Blow the Whistle message
  • This coordinated action is the moment that unites the campaign nationally

After the launch

  • You’re welcome to continue sharing messages throughout the tournament and beyond
  • You can post once or many times, participation is completely flexible

What we’re asking you to do

Share the campaign message

You can:

  • Use our downloadable templates, or
  • Use your own branding, design and voice

You’re encouraged to:

  • Add your own statistics, insight or key points that link to your work
  • Focus on calling out abuse, promoting respect and signposting support

All we ask is that your World Cup shout‑out:

  • Includes the core message
    “Play your part. Call out abuse. Blow the whistle.”
  • Uses the hashtag #BlowTheWhistle

What does “Blow the Whistle” mean?

In sport, a whistle stops play, calls out a foul and protects those involved.

This campaign uses that same idea beyond the pitch.

Blowing the whistle means:

Noticing when something isn’t right

Calling out abuse safely

Checking in and showing care

Signposting support rather than staying silent

It’s about responsibility, fairness and protecting people.

What support do we provide?

When you sign up, you’ll get access to organisation‑focused resources, including:

Campaign assets

  • Posters and digital graphics
  • Social media visuals
  • Campaign logo for promotional use

Ready‑to‑use copy

  • Example social media posts
  • Short website and newsletter text
  • Suggested wording for staff or member communications

Access to support resources

  • How to respond if someone raises a concern
  • What to say (and what not to say)
  • How to safely signpost support rather than acting independently

This ensures participation is confident, ethical and survivor‑centred.

Showing your support publicly

Once signed up:

  • Your organisation’s logo will appear on the main campaign page, showing public support alongside other partners
  • You can choose whether to be listed as a supporter only, or also as a local point of contact for signposting support
  • Your involvement contributes to national visibility and collective impact

Joining the campaign is simple.

The sign‑up form will ask for:

  • Organisation name
  • Logo upload
  • Website and social channels
  • Primary contact details
  • Whether you’d like to be listed as a support contact
  • Confirmation you agree with the campaign principles

Adding your organisation as a support contact (optional)

Organisations may optionally provide:

  • Contact details
  • Geographic coverage
  • A brief description of services offered

If included, these details can appear on our Contact / Support Service page, helping people connect with appropriate help.

You are not expected to take on crisis support unless this is already part of your remit. Clear boundaries and signposting are encouraged.

Sign up to get involved

Blow the Whistle Campaign - FAQ

  • Do we need to use the England Flag

    We recognise that not everyone may feel comfortable using the England flag. Our intention is to use the World Cup as a moment to create a shared symbol of standing against abuse.

    That said, it’s important that everyone feels confident and comfortable with the content they share. To support this, we will be providing alternative designs for the shared campaign message at the start of the World Cup, including a Scotland flag option. 

  • Can we create our own designs?

    Yes, please feel free to create your own designs and content.

    The campaign is about a shared message and coming together, so using your own branding, fonts and design styles is encouraged.
    We simply ask that Blow the Whistle is included within the design to clearly link to the campaign.     

  • Can we use stats?

    Yes, please feel free to us stats and figures. Please ensure that these are from credible sources

  • Can we use our own messaging?

    Yes, feel free to customise the messaging to suit your organisation and audience. All we ask is that you use our main campaign post messaging for the national Blow the Whistle moment, for a shared post at the start of the World Cup.  

  • Can we use our own branding?

    Yes, feel free to use your own branding, designs, logos. All we ask is that you use our main campaign post for the national Blow the Whistle moment, for a shared post at the start of the World Cup. 

Questions or need more information?

If you’d like to discuss involvement before signing up, or have safeguarding questions, you can contact the campaign team.

Get in touch at: Hello@FirstLight.org.uk

Standing together

Blow the Whistle works because it’s shared.

Every logo, poster, post and conversation helps reinforce the message that abuse is not normal, not acceptable and not something we ignore.

Abuse is always a foul.
Respect is part of the game.
When we see harm, it’s time to blow the whistle.

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