Barriers to Reporting

• “Everyone will know I made the report.” Reporters can choose to remain anonymous or request the investigators to keep your identity confidential.
• “Maybe the report isn’t true.” Only one in 10 child victims of sexual abuse report it and studies show false reporting is extremely rare, especially from children. Reminder, it is not your responsibility to confirm or evaluate the validity of any harassment or abuse allegations.
• “If I’m wrong, I’ve ruined someone’s reputation.” Investigators are trained to uncover information to corroborate a report before action is taken.
• “The alleged offender would never do this.” It can be difficult to believe something so bad about someone we think we know and trust; Sexual abusers spend time in advance protecting themselves against suspicion in order to gain access to young people.

Reporting abuse allows the abused athlete to get help, contributes to keeping other athletes in your program safe and maintains the integrity and reputation of your sport organization. Thank you for your vigilance and participation in ensuring safe & respectful competition environments in your sport.