Sexual harassment and abuse in sport: the role of the team doctor: Table 1

Abstract

Sexual harassment and abuse occur in all sports and at all levels with an increased risk at the elite level. The physical and psychological consequences of sexual harassment and abuse are signifi cant for the athlete, their team and for the health and integrity of sport in general. The sports medicine health professional has an integral role to play in the prevention of sexual harassment and abuse in sport. This paper provides sport healthcare professionals with a practical guide on prevention strategies and advice on the recognition and management of suspected abuse.Sexual harassment and abuse (SHA) occurs in all sports, at all levels. 1-3 Given the widespread occurrence of SHA within sport, 3 4 it is vital that all people involved with athletes are made aware of the risk factors and consequences of this abuse. Team doctors and sports physicians are in a pivotal position, given their frequent contact with athletes, to identify these potential risks and consequences. This paper focuses on the team doctor's role in the identifi cation, prevention and treatment of SHA in sport and will begin with an overview of the defi nition of SHA and the risk factors and consequences of SHA. The paper will then discuss methods directed at the prevention of SHA, including the role the team doctor can play in prevention. WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ABUSE IN SPORT?The inappropriate sexual encounters experienced through SHA in sport can occur in various forms, including sexual harassment, sexual abuse, gender harassment, hazing and homophobia. Sexual harassment is considered sexualised verbal, nonverbal or physical behaviour. This form of harassment may be intended or unintended and legal or illegal. The underlying aspect of sexual harassment is that it is 'based upon an abuse of power and trust and that is considered by the victim or a bystander to be unwanted or coerced' (pp1). 5 Brackenridge 6 similarly defi ned sexual harassment as 'unwanted attention on the basis of sex' (pp 116) and sexual abuse as 'groomed or coerced collaboration in sexual and/or genital acts where the victim has been entrapped by the perpetrator' (pp 116-117). Sexual abuse has also been defi ned as 'any sexual interaction with person(s) of any age that is perpetrated against the victim's will, without consent or in an aggressive, exploitative, manipulative or threatening manner" (pp 3). 7 Sexual abuse therefore involves any sexual activity where consent is not or cannot be given. In sport, sexual abuse often involves manipulation and entrapment of the athlete. Gender harassment consists of 'derogatory treatment of one gender or another that is systematic and repeated but not necessarily sexual in nature'. 5 Hazing is considered 'any activity expected of someone joining a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers, regardless of the person's willingness to participate' (page 8) 8 and often has sexual components. 9 10 Homophobia is a 'form of prejudice and discrimination ranging from passive resentment to active victimisation of lesbian,...

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