U.S. Center for SafeSport Releases 2023 Annual Report
27 June 2024 - 8:34PM
Business Wire
Culture change taking root, additional $10M
needed annually to meet growing demand
The U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center) today released its
Annual Report for 2023.
During its seventh year of operation, the Center:
- Fielded more than 7,500 reports of abuse and misconduct.
- Initiated significant process improvements throughout the
organization to improve efficiency, trauma sensitivity, and
communication
- Delivered essential abuse prevention education to athletes,
coaches, and parents throughout the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic
Movement and beyond
- Audited every National Governing Body (NGB) to ensure
compliance with safety policies
Reports continue their year-over-year increase, rising by more
than 30% from 2022 to 2023. The Center considers this a sign that
people better understand red-flag behavior and are speaking up when
they know or even suspect that abuse or misconduct is
occurring.
“As a result of our work, a culture shift in sport is taking
root,” Ju’Riese Colón, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport said.
“Athletes are rejecting the notion that sexual harassment is
inevitable, coaches aren’t turning a blind eye to inappropriate
behavior, and parents aren’t tolerating abusive practices.
Together, we are establishing a culture where people are compelled
to throw open the curtains on abuse rather than sweep it under the
rug.”
The Center’s 2023 Annual Report provides a detailed overview of
operations, milestones, and data from last year. Highlights
include:
- Delivery of 5,652,257 online courses to 3,901,951 individuals
to better prepare the sport community to recognize, prevent, and
respond to abuse since 2017
- Development of specialized educational resources, including
courses for Youth and Teens, a Bullying Prevention Handbook and a
Parent and Guardian’s Handbook for Safer Sport
- Conducted 52 audits of NGBs as well as 30 pre-audit site visits
to ensure sport organizations are adhering to common-sense safety
policies
- 2,040 individuals who are restricted or banned from sport are
listed on the Centralized Disciplinary Database (CDD)
- Reports of abuse and misconduct are up by more than 30% since
2022, and have increased by more than 2,500% since 2017
As reports continue to rise, the Center’s funding remains
static. The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, & Amateur Athletes
Act of 2020, which mandates a $20 million annual payment by the
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to fund the
Center’s operations, does not account for rising inflation, an
exponential increase in reports, nor the potential addition of new
sports and millions of new athletes to the Olympic & Paralympic
Movement.
Colón raised the need for additional funds when she testified
before hearings of Subcommittees in both the House of
Representatives and Senate in March of 2024. Other witnesses and
legislators present at the hearings widely acknowledged that the
Center requires additional resources.
“The safety of our nation’s athletes is too important to
shortchange,” said Colón. “Regardless of whether additional
funding continues to come through the USOPC as required by federal
law, or directly from federal appropriations, Congressional action
is needed to maintain existing funding and secure $10 million more
annually to fully fund the execution of the Center’s
mission.”
Need for Abuse Prevention in Sport
The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the nation’s only independent
organization dedicated to ending sexual, physical, and emotional
abuse in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport. The Center emerged in
response to high profile cases of sexual abuse of minor athletes
within Olympic and Paralympic sport in the mid-2010s. With the
mission of making athlete wellbeing the centerpiece of the nation’s
sport culture, the Center has since been setting safety policies,
and receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints of abuse and
misconduct. The Center also serves as an educational resource for
sports organizations at all levels, from recreational sports
organizations to professional leagues.
With the goal of ensuring athletes within the U.S. Olympic and
Paralympic Movement are safe, supported, and strengthened, the
Center:
- Establishes safety policies, including the SafeSport Code and
the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP)
- Investigates and resolves allegations of abuse and misconduct
and levies sanctions, including temporary and permanent bans from
sport
- Delivers comprehensive abuse prevention education within and
outside of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement
About the U.S. Center for SafeSport
The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport
Authorization Act of 2017 codified the U.S. Center for SafeSport
(the Center), as the nation’s safe sport organization. It furthered
the Center’s independence while underscoring its authority to hold
individuals accountable. It also charged the Center with developing
policies, procedures, and training to prevent abuse and misconduct
in sport.
In October of 2020, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and
Amateur Athletes Act became law, even further strengthening the
Center’s independence and oversight functions while mandating
minimum funding requirements for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic
Committee.
The Center opened its doors in March of 2017.
Reporting and Resources
Report here to the U.S. Center for SafeSport if you have
experienced abuse or misconduct or if you have reasonable suspicion
of abuse or misconduct inflicted by someone in the U.S. Olympic and
Paralympic Movement. You can also call the Center at:
833-587-7233.
RAINN's 24/7 online hotline is available for crisis
intervention, referrals, or emotional support at any time. You can
also call RAINN at: 800-656-HOPE (4673).
The Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7 free and
confidential support at 988lifeline.org or by calling 988.
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