Legal representation for sexually abused athletes
You are not alone if you, as an athlete, have been the target of sexual abuse or sexual assault. According to USA Swimming training documents, some experts suggest that as many as 20% of children in competitive sports are at risk of abuse or exploitation. But that percentage may be too low. A large-scale study with over 6,000 undergraduates aged 18–22 years revealed that 29% of the respondents experienced sexual abuse when they were child athletes.
Why sexual abuse or assault happens in sport
Sport is the ideal environment for sexual abuse since it is viewed as a “sacred” part of our culture. Consequently, behavior that is usually unacceptable is now acceptable, such as coaches being able to touch children as part of their work while enjoying the parents’ trust. Combine the touching with the ample time shared by the coach and the young athlete along with the authority that the coach has over the athlete, and you can see why children in sport are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse.
Holding sports organizations accountable for sexual abuse and sexual assault
Research indicates that sexual assault and sexual abuse are major problems in sport that need to be tackled through prevention and athlete education. Yet, few organizations even make an effort to prevent sexual abuse. For example, USA Swimming and the USOC have been pressured for years to make prevention a priority. They continue to refuse to make changes to protect athletes.
No sport is immune to sexual abuse or to sexual assault as recent sexual crimes by doctors and coaches have occurred in youth sports such as:
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Taekwondo
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Wrestling
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Figure Skating
- USA Gymnastics
- Hockey
- Volleyball
Attorneys Robert Allard and Stephen Estey use the law to hold sports organizations, coaches, doctors, and athletes accountable for athletes’ sexual abuse or sexual assault.
Attorneys Robert Allard and Stephen Estey
Through years of representing sexual abuse victims, Allard and Estey recognize that childhood sexual abuse results in lifelong harm and is a significant risk factor for depression, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual disorders, and suicidal ideation
Learn more about your legal rights. Contact one of our athlete abuse attorneys.
Contact us at 800-474-5201 or by email at [email protected] if you have been sexually abused or sexually assaulted. The phone call or the email is 100% confidential.