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‘Violence at all levels’: UN report on abuse of women and girls in sport is wake-up call for Australia

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This week, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls released a report detailing the violence experienced by women and girls around the world in sports.

The report provides a global snapshot of the abuse experienced by female athletes, who are most likely to perpetrate violence, and makes recommendations on what should be done to promote the safety of women and girls. There is.

In the wake of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, where Australia cheered record-breaking success for female athletes, this report should serve as a wake-up call for Australian sport and clubs.

Abuse of women and girls in sport

The report, based on more than 100 submissions and consultations from 50 people, states that “women and girls in sport face widespread, overlapping and serious forms and manifestations of violence at all levels.” There is.

These abusive behaviors include coercive control, physical violence, corporal punishment, verbal abuse, social exclusion, bullying, and identity abuse.

The effects of this violence range from physical injury, insomnia, fear and anxiety, decreased self-confidence, substance abuse, eating disorders, self-harm, and decreased athletic performance and participation.

These effects can extend far beyond an athlete’s involvement in sport.

Women and girls also experience economic violence in sports. For example, when female athletes are unable to control their income or are forced to sign exploitative contracts.

The report notes that female athletes also experience higher rates of abuse and harassment in online environments. This includes sexual harassment or intimidation, racism, ridicule, physical insults, sexual comments, stalking, doxxing, and revenge porn.

There are a wide variety of perpetrators. They include coaches, managers, spectators, teachers, colleagues, sports lawyers, referees, and medical staff.

The report states that sexual harassment and abuse is “rampant” and acknowledges high rates of sexual violence, particularly in relationships between coaches and athletes.

This includes grooming young athletes. There, dynamics of power and control and abuse of trust between adult and child athletes combine to provide the conditions for sexual abuse to flourish.

This is based on a 2023 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UN Women, which found that 21% of girls worldwide have experienced at least one type of sexual abuse in sports during their childhood. Estimated.

Is this an issue in Australia as well?

Australians are proud that sport brings countries, communities and families together, but we also have widespread issues in this area.

In 2021, an Australian Swimming investigation found female athletes and coaches suffered physical and emotional abuse, while an Australian Gymnastics “Change the Routine” investigation found child abuse, neglect, misconduct and Bullying, abuse, sexual harassment, and assault against gymnasts have come to light.

More recently, an investigation into Australian volleyball by Sport Integrity Australia revealed systematic verbal and physical abuse of players, leading to a formal apology to past players.

Additionally, a 2024 Deakin University study showed that 87% of Australian sportswomen had experienced online harm within the past year.

Lack of accountability and results

In traditionally male-dominated sports cultures, abusers often go unsanctioned, while those who are abused often leave the sport early, with serious consequences for their careers, financial security, and physical and mental health.

In some cases, abuse has been minimized or ignored by coaches to protect the team’s reputation or sporting regulations, and coaches have been able to move from team to team without consequences.

Take, for example, the sexual abuse of young female gymnasts by American coach Larry Nassar.

The first charges against Nassar were filed in 1997. Despite this and numerous other charges that followed, Nassar remained a coach at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University until 2015. In December 2017, he was found guilty of numerous sexual abuse charges. Minor.

Survey results by sports organizations are often kept confidential. For example, in 2017 Fremantle Dockers and the AFL were criticized for using “non-disclosure agreements” to resolve sexual harassment issues.

This impunity shows a serious lack of accountability.

Barriers to reporting abuse in sport

There are significant barriers to reporting.

Female elite athletes may fear losing funding or sponsorship contracts if they report abuse.

In Australia, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse reported that child athletes are at greatest risk of abuse by authority figures (such as coaches) when they are trying to achieve peak performance.

As the United Nations report puts it, there is currently “little to gain and too much to lose by disclosing abuse.”

This has to change.

When sports norms prioritize the desire to win over safety nets and responsibility, a clear message is sent to victims that violence is acceptable and that sports heroes are immune to their abusive behavior. It is.

It is important to raise awareness about early detection of abusive behavior.

The UN report found that athletes often feel anxious and uncomfortable when identifying abusive behavior in its early stages, and lack information about what support is available if abuse occurs. It is made clear that there is.

It is also important to have a chain of reporting channels. There is no one-size-fits-all model.

Why Australia should take the lead

Participating in sports has great benefits. However, the sports environment must be safe for everyone.

Many sports organizations and sports clubs have recognized the issue of abuse of women and girls in sport and are rolling out respect and responsibility programmes, sexual harassment policies and clearer reporting and investigation policies.

This is a good start, but we need to develop it further.

Indeed, the safety of women and girls must be a key focus of Australia’s high performance ‘Win Well’ strategy for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

We need to monitor recent initiatives and policy changes to consider how they are working and whether they are creating safer outcomes for women and girls at all levels of sport.

Responses to substantiated allegations of abuse must hold perpetrators accountable. And, importantly, investigations must be independent, transparent, and timely.

A United Nations report reminds us that “sport is a microcosm of society.”

Violence against women and children in Australia has been declared a national emergency and ensuring the safety of women and girls in all sports is one of the key elements of addressing this crisis.

Provided by The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.conversation

Quote: ‘Violence at all levels’: UN report on abuse of women and girls in sport is a wake-up call for Australia (13 October 2024) from https://phys.org/news/2024 October 2024 Retrieved on March 13th-10-Violence-Abuse-Women-Girls-Sports.html

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