Sylvie Parent

Sexual violence experienced in the sport context by a representative sample of Quebec adolescents

This is the first study to report the prevalence of sexual violence perpetrated by a sport coach within a representative sample of the general population of adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years (N = 6,450). The questionnaire administered in high schools includes self-reported measures on a variety of dimensions relevant to the study of victimization, including sexual abuse, sexual contacts perceived as consensual, sexual harassment, and involvement in an organized sport context. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were performed. The results show that 0.5% of adolescents experienced sexual abuse involving a coach. When considering all adolescents who experienced sexual abuse in their lifetime (10.2%), it appears that 5.3% of them were victims of sexual abuse by a coach. Participants also reported experiencing sexual harassment from a coach (0.4%) and consensual sexual contacts (1.2%) with a coach in the 12 months preceding the study. Questions are raised on the overrepresentation of boys in situations of sexual victimization experiences in an organized sport context.

Vulnerability/prevention: Considering the needs of disabled and gay athletes in the context of sexual harassment and abuse

Abstract We explore the role of programs for prevention for sexual harassment and abuse in sport in Canada, specifically in the Province of Quebec, by first describing the international sport context of sexual harassment and abuse and then considering the needs of disabled and gay athletes. We have found that there is little scientific literature on sexual harassment and abuse that focuses on the vulnerabilities of, or specific prevention measures for, disabled or LGBT athletes. Such gaps in the literature make it difficult to evaluate the full effectiveness of sexual harassment and abuse intervention programs. To highlight this issue, we describe some of the prevention programs in use in Canada, specifically in the Province of Quebec, and locate program gaps around athletes identified as vulnerable in both the international and Canadian contexts. Finally, we conclude by pressing the need for research and policy advocacy to close the prevention program gaps and to ensure protection is offered to all athletes, not just “mainstream” athletes

Athlete Protection in Quebec's Sport System: Assessments, Problems, and Challenges

Sport is often perceived as healthy and safe. However, research has demonstrated that problems involving sexual, psychological, and physical abuse exist in this context and that very few protection measures are available in sport organizations. Quebec’s sport organizations are not an exception. The research project presented here was part of Phase I of a broader project aimed at gathering information on the creation and functioning of the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) in England to assess the possibility of setting up a similar system in Quebec. The results presented here focuses on the analysis of the legal, political, and sociocultural context of sport in Quebec in an attempt to better understand the currently existing problems and challenges regarding the protection of athletes. The gap between policies and intended outcomes is recognized as problematic in the child protection field, but this article demonstrated how big the gap is in reality. Proposals arising from the findings will hopefully guide policy makers on this issue in the coming years.

Coaching, Touching, and False Allegations of Sexual Abuse in Canada

Whether in sports training or in physical education contexts, touching is an integral component of the coaches’ tasks. However, recent evidence suggests that touching has become a significant concern for coaches in Canada and elsewhere, maybe due to the increased sensitivity toward child protection discourses. In fact, it appears that some coaches are concerned that touching children while coaching can potentially lead to false allegations of abuse by young people in their care or by the young person’s parents. These apprehensions are pushing some coaches to protect themselves by adopting various strategies or by avoiding certain situations, like touching. Recent evidence suggests that fears of false allegations can represent an obstacle for the prevention of sexual abuse. Moreover, these fears can have a significant impact on the victims of these crimes. Throughout this article, we explore the question of touching in coaching and the fears of false allegations of sexual abuse sometimes associated. The authors focus on understanding the foundations of these fears and offer some answers to the difficult questions that arise from this situation from a Canadian perspective.

Prevalence of interpersonal violence against athletes in the sport context

Despite progress in recent years on understanding the magnitude of the problem of interpersonal violence against athletes in the sport context, this research area is still very understudied. Yet, many researchers have advocated for the urgent need to carry out prevalence studies in this field to base prevention efforts on empirical evidence and to convince public decision makers about the necessity to address this issue. The present paper widens the focus on violence in sport, beyond the traditional player and spectator violence literature. We present recent prevalence data on less studied issues, such as sexual, physical and psychological violence against athletes, in and outside the field, and from coaches, opponents and teammates.

Comprehensive Overview of the Problem of Violence Against Athletes in Sport

The problem of violence against athletes is of growing concern. However, the scientific literature in this field tends to be specific to certain forms of violence and does not always provide a clear portrayal of the problem. To better understand issues concerning violence against athletes in sport and to identify needs in this area of research, we must look at violence in a more inclusive way and see violence against athlete as a global problem. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the problem of interpersonal violence against athletes in the sport context. We discuss definitions of violence in sport through the lens of athletes’ victimization. We also look at the various manifestations of interpersonal violence against athletes, the perpetrators involved, the factors associated to the risk of victimization, and the possible consequences of this violence on the mental and physical health of athletes. Finally, future directions for research on this topic are discussed.

Les facteurs ayant influencé la décision d’abandonner l’athlétisme chez des jeunes de 16 à 19 ans : étude de cas au Québec

Il existe un certain nombre de bienfaits à la pratique d’activités physiques et sportives. Malheureusement, de moins en moins de jeunes semblent pratiquer un sport et parmi ceux-ci, plusieurs abandonnent. Au Québec, l’athlétisme n’échappe pas à ce phénomène. En effet, la Fédération québécoise d’athlétisme observe une diminution du nombre de participants lors du passage de la catégorie juvénile (16 à 17 ans) à la catégorie junior (18 à 19 ans), et ce, depuis quelques années. La présente étude a pour but de mieux comprendre le phénomène de l’abandon de l’athlétisme chez des jeunes âgés de 16 à 19 ans en identifiant les facteurs ayant influencé leur décision d’abandonner l’athlétisme. Pour identifier les facteurs, six jeunes ayant abandonné l’athlétisme depuis moins de deux ans ont été interrogés. Les données ont été recueillies à l’aide d’entrevues semi-structurées. Les résultats de l’étude suggèrent que la décision d’abandonner l’athlétisme est influencée par plusieurs facteurs, soit (a) les nouvelles responsabilités, (b) les blessures, (c) le comportement de l’entraîneur et (d) la pratique d’autres sports.