Peer-reviewed article
Psychological, Physical, and Sexual Violence Against Children in Australian Community Sport: Frequency, Perpetrator, and Victim Characteristics
Aurélie Pankowiak, Mary N. Woessner, Sylvie Parent, Tine Vertommen, Rochelle Eime et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study surveyed 886 Australian adults about their experiences of violence during childhood participation in community sport. About 82% reported experiencing some form of violence, with psychological violence being most common (76%), followed by physical (66%) and sexual (38%) violence. Peers were the main perpetrators of psychological violence, while coaches were responsible for high rates of both physical and psychological violence. The research identifies age, sexual orientation, disability, and intensity of sport participation as risk factors for experiencing violence in sport.
Key points
- 82% of respondents experienced some form of violence in sport as children
- Psychological violence was most prevalent at 76%, followed by physical violence at 66% and sexual violence at 38%
- Peers perpetrated the highest rates of psychological violence (69%)
- Coaches were responsible for high rates of both physical and psychological violence (both >50%)
- Age, sexual orientation, disability, and hours of weekly sport participation were associated with increased risk of experiencing violence
Limitations
The study uses retrospective reporting from a convenience sample of primarily women (63%), which may not represent the general population or current conditions in Australian community sport. A national prevalence study would be needed to establish more reliable estimates.
Abstract
Childhood sport participation is associated with physical, social, and mental health benefits, which are more likely to be realized if the sport environment is safe. However, our understanding of children's experience of psychological, physical, and sexual violence in community sport in Australia is limited. The aims of this study were to provide preliminary evidence on the extent of experiences of violence during childhood participation in Australian community sport and to identify common perpetrators of and risk factors for violence. The Violence Towards Athletes Questionnaire (VTAQ) was administered online to a convenience sample of Australian adults (>18 years), retrospectively reporting experiences of violence during childhood community sport. Frequencies of experience of violence were calculated and Chi-square tests were conducted to determine differences between genders. In total, there were 886 respondents included in the analysis. Most survey respondents were women (63%) and about a third were men (35%). About 82% of respondents experienced violence in sport as a child. Psychological violence was most prevalent (76%), followed by physical (66%) and sexual (38%) violence. Peers perpetrated the highest rates of psychological violence (69%), and the rates of physical and psychological violence by coaches (both >50%) were also high. Age, sexual orientation, disability, and hours of weekly sport participation as a child were all associated with childhood experience of violence in sport. The rates of interpersonal violence against children in sport were high. This novel data on perpetrators of the violence and the risk factors for experiencing violence provides further context to inform safeguarding strategies in sport. A national prevalence study is recommended to advance our understanding of the childhood experiences of violence in Australian sport.