From gymnastics clubs to tennis camps: Sexual abuse in sports: How do you protect your child?

It is very difficult to interview children about sexual assault and the number of unreported cases is high. Therefore, there are few studies on this subject. The most recent is the Optimus study from 2012. One in four to five out of 1000 girls and adolescents reported having been sexually abused. For men, he was one of every twelfth participant. According to the research, the social environment, including attachment figures from sports clubs, has the greatest risk of sexual abuse after the family environment.

Kneubühler says they always plan their actions well in advance. First, a relationship is established with the child, and often also with the parents. The physical distance to the child is then subtly shortened so that he does not understand what is happening. For example, during a massage to reduce back tension, there may be more movement of the hands towards the butt over the months. Kneubühler: “A child has no chance if caught by a criminal.”

“Parents should stand up for their children’s boundaries,” says Kneubühler. When they describe a caregiver’s annoying behavior, it starts with the fact that they don’t automatically dismiss it as a child’s delusion. Even better, says Kneubühler, if parents notice the offending behavior before the child does. For example, he faced a case at work where a 9-year-old boy was regularly taken alone to tournaments in the private car of his football coach. The trainer already stated that he had to go there alone, and the boy’s place of residence was on the road. At first, the parents were happy to relax, but over time they found the trips even more awkward. Tragically, it did indeed happen during the attacks that the victim spoke of after a long time.

It takes courage, says Kneubühler, to confront a caregiver with disturbing emotions. It’s important to stay realistic. For example, by asking the club management how the situation that worries you is arranged. Or addressing the problem directly: “It bothers me that XY does this and that.” According to Kneubühler, the parents of the sexually abused child made wild accusations that they did not dare to ask the club for no more individual outings. He says it’s best to contact a suitable specialist as soon as a suspicion is confirmed. Limita specializes in prevention, but is happy to assist with mediation.

Specialist organizations such as Limita are helping clubs, schools, kindergartens etc. gives advice. “The more precisely you define how to proceed in certain situations, the more obvious it will be when someone else does it,” says Kneubühler. This includes taking care of the so-called homesick children in the camps. A perpetrator may have left a child who lost his home unattended on the pretext of comforting him. “For example, you could describe the parents being involved or another child taking the comforting role first.” Kneubühler adds that codes of conduct should not just remain as paper in a file. It’s important to regularly discuss how well or poorly the code is performing, or what tricky situations arise as a result. “Clearly handling errors is not a priority in performance-oriented sports.” Here it is necessary to rethink. “Because a club offers the best prevention if it fosters a culture of discussion and feedback.”