THE fact that it's deemed necessary to appeal to men to take a pledge opposing violence against women signifies a pretty sad state of affairs.

As we report this week, football fans attending Ross County's January 2 home match against Partick Thistle will be handed a leaflet urging them to take a stance against domestic abuse by pledging never to commit or condone violence against women.

While many of those turning up to watch a game of football will feel patronised by such a move, the police have been careful to insist they're not specifically targeting football fans but simply taking advantage of getting the message across to a large gathering of men.

It should, of course, be taken as read that violence against women is unacceptable.

However the grim evidence suggests that it can't be. Police statistics show the depressing New Year spike in domestic violence, with alcohol associated with the turn-of-the-year celebrations inevitably playing its part.

Police play their part in heads-up education initiatives such as this and no-nonsense enforcement of the law. The lawmakers themselves, as we report elsewhere today, have heard first hand from women who have suffered the misery of domestic violence. That personal testimony will doubtless have made its mark.

Back to football. The message is going out here in Ross-shire.

Depressingly, there have always been sharp rises in domestic abuse associated with 'Old Firm' Celtic v Rangers matches the next of which is due slap bang in the middle of the festive season. A positive impact there now that would really be a result.