Sexual violations among youth in sports are more common than we think

Peers are often the perpetrators.

Adolescents may experience that they have to 'endure som rough play,' and there is often a lack of response from adults when boundaries are crossed.

(Photo: Shutterstock / NTB)

Nina Eriksen COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER

Presented by: Oslo Metropolitan University

Published 30 January 2025 - 00:01

Sports play an important role for many adolescents, providing opportunities for achievement, joy, and social belonging.

However, sports also have some darker sides.

About one in ten adolescents actively participating in sports report having experienced sexual harassment or abuse within the past year.

“Even ‘mild’ violations can make girls feel unsafe and cause them to withdraw from sports,” says researcher Kari Stefansen.

“To prevent such incidents, we need to better understand what is actually happening,” says Kari Stefansen.

She is a researcher affiliated with the Domestic Violence Research Programme at Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), which comprises studies on violence and abuse across various contexts.

Not just a problem of 'dangerous' coaches

When we hear about sexual abuse in sports, we often think of severe cases where adult coaches exploit young athletes. Media reports like Coach charged with sexual abuse of young girls give the impression that this is the main issue.

Such cases are serious and do occur, but research from NOVA at OsloMet and the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) paints a more complex picture.

“Many incidents of harassment do not involve coaches abusing their position of trust. Often, it's peers who are the perpetrators,” says Stefansen.

Together with Gerd Marie Solstad (NOVA) and Åse Strandbu (NIH), she recently published an opinion piece on this topic on a Norwegian website dedicated to health promotion and substance abuse prevention, forebygging.no, based on their joint research.

A culture of toughness and silence

One challenge is that such behaviours may become normalised in sports. Players and coaches may interpret them as part of a competitive, tough culture.

Young athletes may feel pressured to ‘endure some rough play,’ and adults often fail to intervene when boundaries are crossed.

“If no one steps in, young people may believe this behaviour is acceptable, fostering a permissive culture where violations are downplayed,” says Stefansen.

Spectators and training environments

Harassment from spectators is also a problem. Girls report receiving unwanted attention from the stands, such as comments about their appearance or sexualised ‘compliments.’

Similar experiences are reported at gyms, particularly involving adult men.

In both scenarios, the harassment centres on receiving unwanted sexual attention in non-sexual settings, disrupting activities like a match or a workout.

This can have serious consequences:

“Even mild violations can make girls feel unsafe and cause them to withdraw from sports,” the researcher says.

While abuse by coaches is less common than peer-on-peer harassment, inappropriate actions by adults still occur. These may include comments about weight or body shape, or physical actions like slapping a player’s bottom as a form of motivation.

Adolescents may find such behaviour intrusive, even if the coach did not intend it that way. Stefansen emphasises that coaches need greater awareness of the signals they send.

Prevention: What can be done?

To create safer environments in sports, a broader approach to prevention is necessary.

Measures like police background checks and reporting channels are important but insufficient. Focus must also be placed on the culture among athletes and the ability of coaches to address even minor incidents.

“Prevention must go beyond avoiding abuse by adults. It should also aim to stop unwanted behaviour among peers and from spectators. Coaches and other adults in sports have a responsibility to foster an inclusive and safe environment,” says Stefansen.

The researchers behind the study hope their findings will raise awareness of sexual violations in youth sports. Sport should be a space for joy, achievement, and camaraderie – not fear and insecurity.

“For young athletes, it's crucial that adults take responsibility and intervene when boundaries are crossed. This ensures that everyone can participate safely,” Stefansen concludes.

References:

Solstad, G.M. & Stefansen, K. 'Sexual Violations in Youth Sport: Gendered Mechanisms of Alienation?', Hartill, M. & Rulofs, B. (Ed.) Child Abuse in Sport (Research in the Sociology of Sport, vol. 25), Emerald Publishing Limited, 2025. DOI: 10.1108/S1476-285420250000025005 (Abstract)

Strandbu et al. Seksuell trakassering og andre krenkelser i ungdomsidretten: Forekomst og mønstre i utsatthet (Sexual harassment and other violations in youth sports. Prevalence and patterns of exposure), Nordic Journal of Youth Research, 2023. DOI: 10.18261/ntu.4.1.2

NOVAs programme for research on violence

The Domestic Violence Research Programme at NOVA, OsloMet, focuses on understanding domestic violence as a phenomenon and its consequences for those affected. It also examines societal measures to support victims and address violence. The research programme began in 2014 and has been funded by government grants.