75% of children who have exercised a sport have suffered abuse and it is in Belgium (80%) that they are the most numerous
Three quarters of children who have exercised a sport have been victims of psychological or physical abuse and boys are more likely to be affected than girls, according to a study of more than 10,000 people in six European countries, published Saturday. It is in Belgium (80%) that the abuses are highest, according to the study.
The most common form of abuse is psychological, ranging from lack of appreciation on the part of coaches to outright humiliation, according to this European Union-funded study. Almost two-thirds of those questioned said they had suffered psychological violence, while 44% had been victims of physical violence.
Very worrying conclusions
For the main author of the report, the professor of sociology of sport Mike Hartill, of the University of Edge Hill (North West of England), the results obtained that the various European sports leaders made “too few“to protect children and must concretely do”much more than producing a policy” attach.
“Our conclusions are obviously very worrying. We’ve seen a number of high-profile cases of child abuse in sport lately, but this study helps us understand the scale of the problem more clearly.“said Mike Hartill.
The study interviewed people between the ages of 18 and 30 who had played sports as minors. The highest incidence of abuse was observed among children who participated in international competitions and the study showed that the abuse took place within the structure of clubs and sports organizations.
A total of 10,302 people were interviewed in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Romania, Spain and Great Britain with the help of the Ipsos MORI polling institute. They were invited to complete an online questionnaire. The prevalence of abuse is highest in Belgium (80%) and in Austria the lowest (70%). In all countries except Austria, boys were significantly more likely to experience violence.
The authors also said the report showed that many sports organizations had failed to extend their protection policies beyond guarantees against sexual violence. According to Mike Hartill, “sadly, these findings have been an industry that has done too little to tackle the deeply rooted issues in sport“.
“The problem is ultimately rooted in the nature of adult-child relationships in sport.“, he assures.