Sexual intimidation and abuse in sports urgently requires more active combating, says a report from the Dutch Olympic Committee. The report suggests that 12% of Dutch athletes experienced “sexual transgressive behavior in their sports club as a child” and that 4% faced either sexual assault or rape.
The report, which dropped last month, is the product of a committee that has worked since May of 2017 to investigate sexual harassment and abuse within sport. Former Dutch Representative Klaas de Vries led the committee, which was organized through NOC*NSF, the Dutch Olympic Committee.
“It is urgent to combat sexual intimidation and abuse in sports much more actively,” the NOC*NSF writes on its website in releasing the report (per a translation of the original Dutch). The federation goes on to say that “[r]eports about sexual harassment and abuse in sport do not often lead to effective follow-up steps,” and that “[t]he measures and sanctions that are imposed are in most cases mild.”
More and more cases of sexual harassment have come to light over the past few months, many as part of the #MeToo campaign, which has encouraged victims of sexual harassment or assault to share their stories via social media. Accusations have most notably rocked the entertainment industry, but prominent sports figures have also been central, both as victims and as alleged offenders.
The De Vries Report includes several key recommendations for better addressing sexual abuse within sport in the Netherlands, specifically:
- Mandatory reporting of abuse/harassment allegations
- Better institutional support for victims
- Fewer barriers to discipline (charging accusers for the accused’s legal costs if they aren’t convicted, limitation periods, etc)
- Re-evaluation of the Sport Confidence Center (established to handle reports of sexual abuse)
- ‘Quality marks’ for clubs that demonstrate attention to prevention of sexual harassment and abuse