'Stick to your makeup tutorials': Female fans reveal scale of sexism in football

Female football fans in East Anglia have revealed some of the shocking sexist comments they've been subjected to - both at games and online.

A recent survey from the Canaries Trust supporters group found that one in five female Norwich City fans had encountered some form of sexism at a game.

Among them, Caroline Palmer who has been a season ticket holder at Carrow Road since the mid 1990s.

She says her experiences have mostly been positive during that time, but there have been isolated incidents where she's been on the receiving end of hurtful comments from fellow supporters.

Caroline Palmer chats to ITV News Anglia's Andy Ward. Credit: ITV News Anglia

"I remember being at Peterborough for an away game, and someone suggested to me that I shouldn't be there, that it wasn't for the likes of me, and perhaps I should go down to the stand with the little ones," she told ITV News Anglia.

"It's really easy for any sort of comment - sexist, racist - to be dismissed as banter. 'Oh, but I was just being funny.' It depends on context - I don't think that it's a good enough excuse."

Following the results of the survey, Norwich have now set up a dedicated hotline to report sexism at matches, as well as a designated 'safe area' of the stadium for anyone who needs it.

Some examples of some of the sexist comments Amy has been sent. Credit: ITV News Anglia

However, it's not just in the stands where women are being targeted.

Amy Clement from Northamptonshire has continuously been sent misogynistic abuse on social media, with comments ranging from "stick to your makeup tutorials" to "don't you have a kitchen at home?".

She has now teamed up with 11 other women to form the 'Her Game Too campaign" which is aiming to highlight the hateful remarks some female fans have to regularly put up with.

The group posted a powerful video on FA Cup final day last weekend to promote their campaign, and it has already been viewed more than a million times.

Speaking to ITV News Anglia, Amy told us that the abuse has really affected her, but she's determined to keep fighting to make a difference.

"I think it's just pure frustration really that I was being made to feel that my opinion wasn't valid on something that I'm really passionate about. That's really hard to deal with," she said.

"We just want younger girls, particularly, to see it and we don't want them to feel the way that we've felt in the past. We want them those young girls to be passionate about football, and share their opinion, and play football if they want to and not be told they can't because they're a girl."

Caroline is looking forward to getting back to Carrow Road next season. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Like all football fans, both Caroline and Amy are missing being able to watch the sport that they love.

A sport that should be for everyone - no matter what gender you are.