SEXUAL HARASSMENT & ABUSE IN SPORT

What is Sexual Harassment and Abuse (SHA)?  Sexual harassment and abuse are forms of sex discrimination  They include unwanted, groomed or forced involvement in sexual behaviour  Any kind of jokes, threats, intimidation, approaches or actions of a sexual nature are all forms of SHA  SHA is unwanted and creates an unhealthy atmosphere

Steps Taken by IOC against SHA  On 8 th February, 2007, International Olympic Committee’s (IOC )executive board adopted a statement on Sexual Harassment and Abuse (SHA) in sport  Harassment and Abuse in sports can take various forms and are not restricted to only those that are sexual in nature  International Olympic Committee (IOC) gives us 5 broad categories of SHA – 1. Gender Harassment 2. Sexual Abuse 3. Homophobia 4. Hazing 5. Bystanding

Gender Harassment  Gender harassment need not necessarily be sexual  It involves any form of harassment, verbal or non- verbal, that involves disrespectful message towards a person’s gender  Asking the athlete to confine to stereotypical gender norms is harassment  Additionally, addressing an athlete by sexually suggestive terms such as “babe” or “sweetie” is harassment  For example, if someone tells a female athlete to stop thinking about a career in sports and work as a housewife instead, that is harassment

Sexual Abuse  Any form of non-consensual sexually charged verbal, non-verbal, or physical behaviour constitutes sexual abuse  Sexual abuse can be intended or unintended  Grooming is one of the ways in which sexual abuse happens  Grooming is when a person builds up a good relation with the intended victim before abusing him/ her  Staring at an athlete's private parts or inviting the athlete over to one’s place for the purpose of sexual activity are forms of sexual abuse

Homophobia  Discrimination against people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual is homophobia  Discrimination against people who are transsexual is transphobia  Any form of verbal or non-verbal communication that insults or makes fun of a person’s sexual orientation is homophobia  Even jokes that make fun of a person who is seen as physically ‘different’ is a form of harassment  For example, if a boy or girl for some reason is called ‘chakka’, ‘hijra’ or ‘lesbian’, that is definitely harassment  Refusing to share a room with a person from the same sex because he might be or is gay is also homophobia

Hazing  Ragging or bullying in any form, physical or mental, is called hazing  This might happen inside the hostel as well as on the training grounds  Hazing can happen due to seniority, as well as because of class, caste, lifestyle choices (vegetarianism v non-vegetarianism or religious practices)  Modeling is a form of hazing, where a person is pulled out of the game for no justifiable reason  For example, if a senior athlete asks a junior athlete to do some work for him/ her, that is hazing

Bystanding  Bystanding is not taking action when abuse is suspected  By not taking action, the guilty party is indirectly encouraged to abuse/ harass even more  Sometimes, the victim might not feel comfortable to lodge a complaint, but the victim might hint at abuse by dropping hints through non-verbal gestures or decline in performance  For example, if an athlete appears uncomfortable or breaks down without any evident reason, immediately an enquiry should be made

Safeguarding Policies  In 2013, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act was passed  According to this act, any sport institute, stadium, sports complex, or games venue, whether residential or non-residential is considered to be a workplace  In 2012, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was passed to protect those under the age of 18 years from harassment and abuse

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