Increase in Domestic Violence Seen During World Cup
"It's not that fútbol (soccer) alone generates more violence, it's the combination of alcohol and that the aggressor is spending more time in the house", said Silvia Meza, co-ordinator of the Violencia de Género del INAMU, referring to the recent figures released on domestic violence during the 2006 World Cup.

For authorities who work with battered women, the passion for fútbol translates into more domestic violence cases.

And to back up the claim, authorities use figures released by the 911 emergency system where during the 31 days of the World Cup, the system received 329 more calls than usual for domestic violence.

In June 2005, the emergency call centre received 3.235 calls while during June 2006 the number of calls for domestic violence increased to 3.564 or an average of 11 calls a day, according to Herman Güendell, operations chief at 911.

The chief added that all the calls were not "new cases". According to Güendell, domestic violence is a vicious circle.

Güendell added that during each of the days that Costa Rica played with Germany (June 9) and with Ecuador (June 15), the 911 system received the highest number of calls for domestic violence since 2002.

Judith Salas, the person in charge at the Delegación de la Mujer, a group that helps out battered women, said that in January of this year her centre received 434 women seeking shelter, while in during the World Cup month, her centre received 496 women.