Everton will mark its support of the #HerGameToo campaign this weekend, with activity planned at both the Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Women's Super League visit of Leicester City. 

The activity is intended to raise awareness of the campaign's objectives and highlight how supporters can discreetly report any instances of sexist behaviour they experience or witness while watching football.  

In December last year, collaboration between Everton and its Fans' Forum saw the Blues become the first Premier League club to support #HerGameToo, which aims to ensure females of all ages feel confident and safe sharing their opinions about football, both online and in real life, without fear of sexist abuse.

Everton's link-up with #HerGameToo has since paved the way for the campaign to establish similar ties with two other top-flight clubs in Leeds United and Brentford. 

As part of this weekend's activity, the Everton Fans' Forum has worked together with #HerGameToo to produce a video that will highlight comments female fans still face and why there is a need for the campaign.

In the video, which has been posted on #HerGameToo’s social media channels, 11 Evertonians share comments they have read or heard either online or while attending football matches across the country. 

The comments highlighted could be described as intimidating, disrespectful to female supporters' understanding of the game, and belittling of the important role women play in the sport, both as fans and professionally. 

Many of those involved in the video are members of a fan network that has been established by the Fans' Forum following the Club's initial pledge. The group includes Fans' Forum members past and present, shareholders, Everton in the Community volunteers, international supporters and representatives of the Everton Women Supporters' Club. 

A recent survey conducted by Everton and #HerGameToo found that 98% of the female supporters that took part said they feel safe at Goodison Park on matchdays, although one in four said they had experienced or witnessed derogative comments at football matches around the country. Of those, 40% recalled witnessing or experiencing that behaviour in the past 12 months.

Despite that, 88% said they did not report the inappropriate behaviour they witnessed, with 69% adding they were unaware of Everton’s report system for sexist behaviour. 

From Sunday's game, new posters to promote the available reporting options, including discreet text and email services, will be placed around Goodison Park. 

Of those surveyed, 65% stated they would be likely to report sexist behaviour if they were to witness or experience it in future.

Everton welcome Leicester to Walton Hall Park in the Women’s Super League on Saturday (5.30pm), before the men’s First Team tackle Wolves at Goodison in a 2pm kick-off on Sunday. 

To raise awareness of the #HerGameToo campaign, pin badges and flags will be given out at both the women's and men's fixtures, while Everton Women players will wear #HerGameToo warm-up t-shirts. 

Both matchday programmes will feature more information about #HerGameToo, while content and branding related to the campaign will be visible on stadium screens and across Club channels. 

Siobhan Doran, a member of the Everton Fans’ Forum who helped initiate the Blues' support of #HerGameToo, said:  “As Evertonians, I think we are really inclusive and support what the Club does in terms of promoting equality and challenging all forms of discrimination. Becoming the first club to support #HerGameToo shows that.
 
“As a Forum, we want to continue to raise awareness of the issues female fans face throughout the game but also ensure people are aware of how they can report incidents if they do experience them. 
 
“That is what we will try to do this weekend through the activities taking place at both games and online, and I would encourage anyone with feedback or ideas about how we can progress our support for #HerGameToo to contact the Fans’ Forum.”

If you witness discriminatory behaviour at a match or around a stadium, text HELP plus details of what you have witnessed, and where, to 84300, or email reportit@evertonfc.com to discreetly submit a report. You can also report incidents directly to #HerGameToo at hergametoo.co.uk/report

To contact the Fans' Forum, find them on social media @EFC_FansForum or email members@evertonfansforum.com