Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes
To examine prevalence of verbal, physical, and sexual abuses in young elite athletes, a cross sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted during the World Athletics under 20 World Championships. This questionnaire aimed at distinguishing between abuses perpetrated in the context of Athletics...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-05-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.657624/full |
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Article |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Stéphane Bermon Stéphane Bermon Paolo Emilio Adami Paolo Emilio Adami Örjan Dahlström Örjan Dahlström Kristina Fagher Kristina Fagher Janna Hautala Janna Hautala Anna Ek Anna Ek Christer Anderson Christer Anderson Jenny Jacobsson Jenny Jacobsson Carl Göran Svedin Carl Göran Svedin Toomas Timpka Toomas Timpka |
spellingShingle |
Stéphane Bermon Stéphane Bermon Paolo Emilio Adami Paolo Emilio Adami Örjan Dahlström Örjan Dahlström Kristina Fagher Kristina Fagher Janna Hautala Janna Hautala Anna Ek Anna Ek Christer Anderson Christer Anderson Jenny Jacobsson Jenny Jacobsson Carl Göran Svedin Carl Göran Svedin Toomas Timpka Toomas Timpka Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes Frontiers in Sports and Active Living abuse elite harassment junior track and field |
author_facet |
Stéphane Bermon Stéphane Bermon Paolo Emilio Adami Paolo Emilio Adami Örjan Dahlström Örjan Dahlström Kristina Fagher Kristina Fagher Janna Hautala Janna Hautala Anna Ek Anna Ek Christer Anderson Christer Anderson Jenny Jacobsson Jenny Jacobsson Carl Göran Svedin Carl Göran Svedin Toomas Timpka Toomas Timpka |
author_sort |
Stéphane Bermon |
title |
Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes |
title_short |
Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes |
title_full |
Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes |
title_fullStr |
Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes |
title_full_unstemmed |
Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics Athletes |
title_sort |
lifetime prevalence of verbal, physical, and sexual abuses in young elite athletics athletes |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
issn |
2624-9367 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
To examine prevalence of verbal, physical, and sexual abuses in young elite athletes, a cross sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted during the World Athletics under 20 World Championships. This questionnaire aimed at distinguishing between abuses perpetrated in the context of Athletics from those which were unrelated to Athletics. Four hundred and eighty athletes (52.3%, male) from North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania took part in the electronic anonymous survey. Outside Athletics setting, no gender difference was found for the prevalence of verbal, physical, and sexual abuses. However, 45 males (18% of the male population) and 34 females (15% of the female population) athletes reported sexual abuse. Asian athletes reported a slightly higher rate of sexual abuse; three quarters of them being non-touching abuses. Inside Athletics setting, no gender difference was found for the prevalence of verbal, physical, and non-touching sexual abuses. However, 58 males (23%) and 47 females (21%) reported verbal abuses. Thirty-one males (12%) and 20 females (9%) reported physical abuses, whereas 30 males (12%) and 17 females (7%) reported sexual abuses. Physical abuses were slightly more frequent in Asia and in Africa and less frequent in South America. Sexual abuses inside Athletics also differed over regions, and were unexpectedly twice more frequent than expected in Asia and slightly less frequent than expected in Europe. Friends and partners were identified as the more frequent (>50%) abusers outside or inside the Athletics settings, whereas outside Athletics and inside Athletics, coaches were identified as sexual abuse perpetrators in 8 and 25% of cases, respectively. The prevalence of verbal, physical, or sexual abuses is high but consistent with what has been reported in United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, and Sweden at national level in recreational or elite athletes. Sexual abuse, including touching or penetrative abuses, occurred significantly more often in male athletes when compared to female athletes. This finding invites healthcare and social workers, and policymakers to also consider the risk of sexual abuse of young male athletes in Athletics. These results also call for longitudinal studies on young elite athletes. |
topic |
abuse elite harassment junior track and field |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.657624/full |
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doaj-8a0de2e4d7584d55bbba94c418bcc3402021-05-31T05:37:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672021-05-01310.3389/fspor.2021.657624657624Lifetime Prevalence of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Abuses in Young Elite Athletics AthletesStéphane Bermon0Stéphane Bermon1Paolo Emilio Adami2Paolo Emilio Adami3Örjan Dahlström4Örjan Dahlström5Kristina Fagher6Kristina Fagher7Janna Hautala8Janna Hautala9Anna Ek10Anna Ek11Christer Anderson12Christer Anderson13Jenny Jacobsson14Jenny Jacobsson15Carl Göran Svedin16Carl Göran Svedin17Toomas Timpka18Toomas Timpka19World Athletics, Health and Science Department, Monaco, MonacoLaboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, FranceWorld Athletics, Health and Science Department, Monaco, MonacoDepartment of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, ItalyAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Health Sciences, Rehabilitation Medicine Research Group, Lund University, Lund, SwedenWorld Athletics, Health and Science Department, Monaco, MonacoAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Health, Medicine, and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Health, Medicine, and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Health, Medicine, and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Health, Medicine, and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenAthletics Research Center, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Health, Medicine, and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenTo examine prevalence of verbal, physical, and sexual abuses in young elite athletes, a cross sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted during the World Athletics under 20 World Championships. This questionnaire aimed at distinguishing between abuses perpetrated in the context of Athletics from those which were unrelated to Athletics. Four hundred and eighty athletes (52.3%, male) from North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania took part in the electronic anonymous survey. Outside Athletics setting, no gender difference was found for the prevalence of verbal, physical, and sexual abuses. However, 45 males (18% of the male population) and 34 females (15% of the female population) athletes reported sexual abuse. Asian athletes reported a slightly higher rate of sexual abuse; three quarters of them being non-touching abuses. Inside Athletics setting, no gender difference was found for the prevalence of verbal, physical, and non-touching sexual abuses. However, 58 males (23%) and 47 females (21%) reported verbal abuses. Thirty-one males (12%) and 20 females (9%) reported physical abuses, whereas 30 males (12%) and 17 females (7%) reported sexual abuses. Physical abuses were slightly more frequent in Asia and in Africa and less frequent in South America. Sexual abuses inside Athletics also differed over regions, and were unexpectedly twice more frequent than expected in Asia and slightly less frequent than expected in Europe. Friends and partners were identified as the more frequent (>50%) abusers outside or inside the Athletics settings, whereas outside Athletics and inside Athletics, coaches were identified as sexual abuse perpetrators in 8 and 25% of cases, respectively. The prevalence of verbal, physical, or sexual abuses is high but consistent with what has been reported in United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, and Sweden at national level in recreational or elite athletes. Sexual abuse, including touching or penetrative abuses, occurred significantly more often in male athletes when compared to female athletes. This finding invites healthcare and social workers, and policymakers to also consider the risk of sexual abuse of young male athletes in Athletics. These results also call for longitudinal studies on young elite athletes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.657624/fullabuseeliteharassmentjuniortrack and field |