Great trust is put in the hands of coaches, mentors, and other adults involved in youth sports; parents depend on them to not only teach, guide, and help hone the skills of their children but to keep them safe from harm. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. According to statistics from Childhelp, 14-29% of athletes experience at least one form of sexual violence before the age of 18, showing that sex abuse in youth sports happens far too often.
The depth to which these heinous crimes affect victims is vast. Beyond physical injuries, youth sexual abuse affects the emotional and mental health of victims. It can have a lasting impact on their self-confidence, ability to develop healthy relationships and trust others, and even lead to substance abuse, self-harm, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.
Over the last few decades, the prevalence of sex abuse in youth sports has made headlines, exposing the crimes of not just the predators but the failures of the organizations they work for. Some perpetrators sexually abuse dozens or more children before they’re caught – like Larry Nassar, the former team doctor of the U.S. women’s national gymnastics team. Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison after he used his position to sexually assault hundreds of gymnasts.
The youth sex abuse attorneys at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Kain have seen firsthand the devastating impact these crimes have, and that the safety of children participating in sports is not always a priority. To make matters worse, there have been many cases of organizations covering up sex abuse claims or failing to take allegations seriously. Our experience has shown just how important it is to stop sex abuse in youth sports, and that it requires a commitment from many and a combination of strategies to address it.
Steps to Prevent Sex Abuse in Youth Sports
In general, kids who participate in organized sports greatly benefit from their involvement, and ensuring they’re safe from abuse allows them to experience those benefits. Increased self-confidence, better physical health, strong friendships and camaraderie, and a lower risk of engaging in dangerous or harmful behaviors are some of the advantages of participating in sports.
Concentrating on how to stop sex abuse in youth sports requires a collective effort from parents, volunteers, sports organizations and their employees, the government, and even children and youth. All of these parties have a role in protecting kids, ensuring they aren’t targeted by sexual predators who exploit their trust.
Know the Signs of Youth Sex Abuse
According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 93% of perpetrators of child sex abuse are known to the victim. Since victims often feel ashamed, are afraid of their abuser, or have been convinced to keep it a secret or that it’s okay, one of the most important steps to stop sexual abuse in youth sports is knowing the signs.
A child who’s anxious or fearful around a specific adult, has a sudden lack of interest in the sport, or doesn’t want to be left alone with someone, are behaviors that may indicate they’re being sexually abused. There are also behaviors that the perpetrator may exhibit, such as excessive physical contact, flirting with youth, and inappropriate discussions for an adult-child relationship.
Other warning signs of child sex abuse:
- Keeping secrets
- Changes in eating habits
- Unexplained nightmares, bedwetting
- Loss of interest in school and other activities
- New behaviors or outbursts
- Unusual weight gain or loss
- Physical injuries, like bruises
- Self-harm, drinking, or drug use
The above list is not exhaustive; there are many other signs of child or youth sex abuse, and how the victim reacts may differ based on their age.
Another sign of sex abuse in sports is when someone from the medical team or another person involved with the organization wants to spend one-on-one time with a youth. It’s easy to believe this interest is good for the child, and it may not seem unreasonable or out of the ordinary. However, it’s often a strategy to get them alone, and is one of the red flags of abusive behavior noted in the article, How to Recognize the Signs and Prevent Abuse in Youth Sports. Preventing that privacy is one of the ways to ensure the safety of children.
Avoid Private Sessions
As mentioned, predators seek to get youth in sports alone, and they’ll claim that private sessions will make them even better and lead to greater success. They may make promises to the parents and youth about the benefits of these sessions, using the trust they’ve developed to overshadow any concerns.
While private sessions can help hone skills, there’s never a reason for an adult to be completely alone with a minor, and preventing this is one of the ways to stop sexual abuse in youth sports. Others should be able to see and/or hear them at all times, whether that’s a parent, other staff, or volunteers. Preventing alone time also applies to physical or medical assessments. These should never be performed one-on-one.
Have Open Discussions with Your Children
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, preventing abuse in youth sports includes having conversations about what’s appropriate physical touch and what a healthy adult-child relationship looks like. While parents can find it difficult or awkward to discuss these topics with their children, especially teens, it’s necessary. Having open discussions reduces the risk of harm and reinforces the importance of youth telling a trusted adult if something happens that shouldn’t or if they were made uncomfortable by an adult’s behavior.
Individuals who sexually abuse children and youth push secrecy on their victims and manipulate them into believing they should hide what’s happening from their parents and friends. Being able to discuss these topics with children encourages communication and helps youth identify inappropriate behaviors. When kids are comfortable with their bodies and know what boundaries there should be with coaches, mentors, and other adults they’re around, it helps stop sex abuse in youth sports.
Know the Organization’s Policies and Procedures
In 2018, federal legislation, the Safe Sport Act, was signed into law, making it necessary for sports organizations and sponsors to meet expanded requirements for sexual abuse reporting and prevention policies. Part of the Safe Sport Act is that organizations must have policies and procedures in place to prevent abuse. It covers mandated reporters, how quickly suspicions and incidents must be reported to authorities, training, and protection from retaliation are detailed in the act.
The policy and procedures of youth sports organizations should include appropriate ways to prevent and report sexual abuse. This includes how any adult involved with the organization is to interact with children and the boundaries and behaviors expected of them, how to report suspicions without fear of reprimand, and limiting one-on-one interactions between minors and adults. Having an official protocol in place that all members of the organization are aware of and are held accountable to uphold helps prevent sex abuse in youth sports. It also demonstrates a priority to child safety. If this information is not readily available, parents should request it, and both they and their children should be familiar with the policies and procedures.
Background Screenings
Background screenings are important to help prevent someone with a criminal history from becoming a coach, official, or volunteer in youth sports, even if the crime they committed wasn’t sexual. While common practice, not all states require background screenings of youth sports personnel and volunteers.
Screenings can help prevent sex abuse in youth sports by not allowing someone with a criminal history to hold a position, but many sexual predators know how to hide their crimes by falsifying applications. Since sexual abuse is greatly underreported, countless abusers have never been caught, and allegations of abuse do not show up in background checks. For these reasons, it’s important to recognize that this is just one of several strategies needed to keep youth in sports safe.
CDC Research to Prevent Sex Abuse in Youth Sports
Beyond federal legislation and the extensive SafeSport resources and training to stop sex abuse in youth sports, there are other, ongoing efforts occurring at the local through national levels. They help address the wide range of harm children and youth may experience, from bullying and hazing to physical and sexual abuse.
New CDC-funded research to help prevent sexual abuse in youth sports is the Center’s first of its kind. The initiative will occur over five years and include an in-depth analysis of how sexual abuse prevention training affects behavior and understanding among coaches who participated in the training. The research will ultimately lead to a widespread awareness campaign to help all youth sport organizations learn about what types of training are effective and how to integrate training and resources into their programs.
The attorneys at our firm are committed to protecting the rights of children and anyone else who has experienced sex abuse. The perpetrators of these crimes, as well as others who enabled and allowed them to happen, must be held accountable. For more information, contact us online or at 1-844-943-7626 for a free and confidential consultation.
