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Integrity in sport: Sexual abuse - research and prevention

Integrity in sport: Sexual abuse - research and prevention. Prof. Em . Celia Brackenridge OBE. Outline. Ethics – the core of sport Terms and definitions Sexual abuse Emergence of the issue Risks Research guidelines Progress with prevention. Health warning. Seek help if you need it

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Integrity in sport: Sexual abuse - research and prevention

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  1. Integrity in sport:Sexual abuse - research and prevention Prof.Em. Celia Brackenridge OBE Leuven March 12 2014

  2. Outline • Ethics – the core of sport • Terms and definitions • Sexual abuse • Emergence of the issue • Risks • Research guidelines • Progress with prevention Leuven March 12 2014

  3. Health warning • Seek help if you need it • Support others • Challenge others Leuven March 12 2014

  4. Ice breaker In 3s: • Have you ever seen a child cry in a sport context? • What happened? • How did it make you feel? Leuven March 12 2014

  5. Ethics – the core of sport Assumption … sport as pure and safe? Leuven March 12 2014

  6. Terms and definitions Types of abuse Example in sport? Physical ... Psychological ... Sexual ... Neglect ... Bullying ... Hazing ... Leuven March 12 2014

  7. Terms and definitions – psychological abuse • Humiliation or bullying based on gender, body shape, performance etc. • Exertion of undue pressure on young athletes to achieve high performance • Requiring sex as a prerequisite for team selection or privileges • Physically injurious or sexually degrading initiation (hazing) rituals • Nutrition and weight loss regimes leading to eating disorders such as anorexia or other health problems Leuven March 12 2014

  8. Terms and definitions – physical abuse • Beatings and other physical chastisement as a spur to performance • Injury through forced risk-taking in extreme environments • Use of performance-enhancing drugs • Peer pressure to use alcohol or addictive substances • Requiring young athletes to play when injured • Use of physical exercise as a punishment (‘forced physical exertion’) Leuven March 12 2014

  9. Terms and definitions – SHA • Harassment, abuse, exploitation, maltreatment, violence, victimisation ... • SH = unwanted sexual attention • SA = groomed or coerced involvement in sexual acts Some areas of contestation: • Touching or not? • Action or impact? • Age boundaries? • Legal boundaries? • Frequency? • Power relations? • Links between them and umbrella terms? Leuven March 12 2014

  10. The sexual exploitation continuum (Brackenridge 2001) SEX DISCRIMINATION SEXUAL ABUSE GENDER AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT I N S T I T U T I O N A L ..................................... P E R S O N A L ........ Bystanding behaviour ........ Leuven March 12 2014

  11. Sexual abuse – an ethical contradiction • Why is this so? • … Leuven March 12 2014

  12. Emergence of the issue • Sport as a cultural and political island • Institutional blindness ... until last 10-15 years • 1980s many cases but few publicised; very few studies • 1990s beginnings of scientific studies and policy development • Some links to CSA scandals outside sport • 2000s growth of science, activism and prevention policy • Comparatively little research “ a new and sensitive subject” ... “long been hidden under the table” 2000 Bratislava Conference of Ministers of Sport Leuven March 12 2014

  13. Emergence of the issue cont. Adult athlete Child athlete Child Adult Leuven March 12 2014

  14. Components of sexual abuse risk Athlete vulnerability Abuser inclination Sport opportunity Leuven March 12 2014

  15. Risk assessment Exercise: in 3s, place the 12 sports on a risk ladder – most to least at risk of sexual abuse. Give reasons. Tennis Ice hockey Swimming Athletics Rowing Badminton Basketball Diving Volleyball Handball Judo Baseball Leuven March 12 2014

  16. Sexual abuse risks and age (Brackenridge & Kirby, 1997) S P O R T A G E Excellence ‘STAGE OF IMMINENT ACHIEVEMENT’ Performance Participation Foundation PUBERTY ? SEXUAL MATURITY C H R O N O L O G I C A L A G E Leuven March 12 2014

  17. Summary of knowledge • Child and adult athlete abuse not always clearly separated • No sport is exempt • Prevalence goes up with performance level • Both boys and girls are victims • Most perpetrators are male • Always based on distorted power relations • Much more research is needed Leuven March 12 2014

  18. Summary of knowledge cont. Leuven March 12 2014

  19. Research guidelines • Power and politics enter every research study … how? • Are we scientists or social workers? • What top 3 rules would you advise for researching this topic? Leuven March 12 2014

  20. Approaches to prevention Change the (abusive) individual Penal (Criminal/bad) Medical (Scientific/mad) Utilitarian (Competitive/sad) Social welfare (Child-centred/glad) (Reforming) (Radical) Change nothing Change the (abusive) system Leuven March 12 2014

  21. Progress with prevention • Emphasis on personalmeasures ... leads to police checks, codes of practice, coach education • Emphasis on organisational measures and ethical climate ... leads to improved governance, transparency, accountability Leuven March 12 2014

  22. Progress with prevention The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit Standards and Framework: https://thecpsu.org.uk/ Leuven March 12 2014

  23. Consensus Statement (2007)On-line educational programmes(2010) http://www.sha.olympic.org[for NOCs, IFs, coaches, athletes] http://www.olympic.org/sha[for youth and with back up research] Leuven March 12 2014

  24. UNICEF (2010) Protecting Children from Violence in Sport: A review with a focus on industrialized countries.http://www.unicef-rc.org/publications/pdf/violence_in_sport.pdf Leuven March 12 2014

  25. Progress with prevention Still ... • - concerns about SHA overshadow other abuses • - vast differences in understanding across sport agencies • - no baselines against which to measure progress • - education is the most cost-effective form of prevention • - knowledge and prevention are not in balance • - lack of standardised approaches • Prevention not correlated with economic health • Change through external human rights pressures rather than from within sport i.e. sport follows society Leuven March 12 2014

  26. Thankyou! Leuven March 12 2014

  27. Selected references and websites • Alexander, K. Stafford , A. and Lewis, R. (2011) The experiences of children participating in organised sport. London: NSPCC. www.nspcc.org.uk/.../experiences_children_sport_main_report_wdf8... • AVERT, Worldwide Ages of Consent, www.avert.org/age-of-consent.htm • Brackenridge, C.H. (2001) Spoilsports: Understanding and preventing sexual exploitation in Sport. London: Routledge. [See especially Ch. 8] • Brackenridge, C.H. Fasting, K., Kirby, S. and Leahy, T. (2010) Protecting Children from Violence in Sport: A review with a focus on industrialized countries.Florence: United Nations Innocenti Research Centre Review. Free download at http://www.unicef-rc.org/publications/pdf/violence_in_sport.pdf • Brackenridge C.H., Kay, T. and Rhind, D. (eds.) (2012) Sport, Children’s Rights and Violence Prevention: A sourcebook on global issues and local programmes. Brunel University London e-book. Free download at http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sse/sseres/sseresearchcentres/youthsport/birnaw • Brackenridge, C.H. and Pitchford, A. (2009) RESPECT: Football parent module. http://www.thefa.com/respectguide • Brackenridge, C.H., Pitchford, A., Nutt, G. and Russell, K. (2007) Child Welfare in Football: An exploration of children’s welfare in the modern game. London: Routledge/Taylor & Francis. Leuven March 12 2014

  28. Brackenridge C.H. and Rhind, D. (eds.) (2010) Elite Child Athlete Welfare: International perspectives. London: Brunel University Press. ISBN: 978-1-902316-83-3. Free download at http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sse/sseres/sseresearchcentres/youthsport/birnaw Child Protection in Sport Unit, Sports Safeguarding Framework : Maintaining and embedding safeguarding for children in and through sport. http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/cpsu/helpandadvice/organisations/safeguarding-framework/framework-for-safeguarding-children-in-sport_wda89203.html CPSU/UNICEF (2012) Symposium report from Beyond Sport Summit, London 25thJly http://www.sportanddev.org/en/newsnviews/news/?4769/1/UNICEF-takes-safeguarding-procedures-beyond-paper Hartill, M. (2009) ‘The sexual abuse of boys in organized male sports’, Men and Masculinities, 12, (2): 225-249 IOC (2007) Consensus Statement on Sexual Harassment and Abuse. http://www.olympic.org/medical-commission?tab=statements IOC (2010) Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Sport – online prevention materials. http://www.olympic.org/sha IOC (2010) “Sexual Harassment & Abuse in Sport" Youth Olympic Games on-line educational programme.http://www.olympic.org/sha Leuven March 12 2014

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