What to Do if You Were Abused at a Football Club

Football clubs and locker rooms are often very traditionally masculine environments, which means that young boys who might experience abuse often feel that they cannot talk about it. Both boys and girls can be victims of sexual abuse at a football club, whether from a coach or adult helper, or another child or young adult member of the club. The awful extent of the historical sexual abuse in football clubs around the UK has only come to light in the last few years as the victims speak out and seek justice against their abusers. Sports clubs such as football are supposed to be an enriching hobby for children, but this extracurricular activity means that the child will be spending more time away from their parents in the care of adults who may take advantage of their authority over the child. Victims of abuse in these situations are often afraid of their abuser punishing them or of losing their position in the football club.

What is Football Abuse?

Football abuse occurs when coaches, staff, or players in a football club abuse their position of trust and inflict harm upon any child who is a member of the football club. This could be sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, or even neglect in some cases. A football club may be negligent if they expose a child to abuse. It is a criminal offence to engage in sexual activity with a child, so this is one of the most serious forms of abuse for children.

• Physical Abuse – Excessive physical injury or administering harmful drugs or alcohol
• Emotional Abuse – Bullying, threatening, humiliating, criticising
• Sexual Abuse – Encouraging or forcing a child to participate in sexual activities

These are some of the signs of child abuse in football clubs that you can look out for among potential child abusers if you suspect that an adult in a position of power is abusing a child:

• Targeting particular children for special attention
• Buying gifts for children (often without occasion)
• Inviting a child to their own home individually under pretence
• Offering lifts or supervising children without anyone else present
• Threatening to jeopardize a child’s future if they do not do as they say
• Intimidating their victim into keeping silent

How to Report Football Sex Abuse

If a child discloses abuse to you or you witness child abuse at a football club, you should take this very seriously. Do not speak to abuser, but report the abuse immediately. You should report it to the leader of the football club, unless they are also implicated in the abuse. Report the abuse to the local authority, such as your local council’s safeguarding team, or call the police directly if you believe that the child is currently in danger. You can contact the NSPCC to raise concerns and get advice if you are unsure about what is classed as abuse or how to report a football abuse scandal. You can also report non-recent football abuse if you were the victim of abuse at a football club as a child. When you have reported child sexual abuse to the police, you also have the option of claiming for sexual assault compensation through the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority scheme within 2 years.

*This is a collaborative post.