YES! (Youth- related Ethics in Sports)Different Types of AbuseDifferent types of abuse can take place on a youth. Under the Children and Young Persons Act, child abuse is defined as any act by a parent, or guardian, or caregiver that endangers or impairs the child’s physical or emotional well-being. For Youth-related Ethics in Sports, we will refer to this definition and define youth abuse in sports as any act by any adult that endangers or impairs the youth’s physical or emotional well-being in sports. We will also refer to The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was first adopted by the United Nations in 1989 to hereby define youth as below the age of 18 years old. Listed below are 4 different kinds of abuse that commonly take place on a youth in sports. The information below is taken and adapted from the Ministry of Community, Youth, Sports and Development’s website. Physical abuse Physical abuse is defined as a youth being physically injured by non-accidental ways. Some examples of physical abuse in sports: excessive discipline, training or punishment on the youth, forceful shaking of youth, slapping and hitting the youth with/without sports equipments. Emotional/ Psychological abuse Emotional or psychological abuse refers to the significant impairment of a youth's social, emotional, cognitive and intellectual development, and/or disturbances of the youth's behaviour. Some examples of emotional/ psychological abuse in sports: telling the youth that he or she is useless and incapable in the sport, ignoring the youth who underperforms, blaming the youth for failures in competitions, discriminating the youth in playing the sport, verbally abusing and threatening the youth, rejecting the youth physically and emotionally. Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is defined when a youth is exploited for sexual gratification or made to do a sexual activity by an adult. It also includes exposing the youth to forms of sexual acts or pornographic materials. Examples of sexual abuse in sports: having sex with a youth whom you are coaching, failing to protect the youth from sexual advances that happen during training times, fondling the youth’s private parts, exposing the youth to forms of sexual acts or pornographic materials. Neglect Neglect is the deliberate denial of a youth's basic needs. Some examples of neglect in sports are: depriving the youth adequate rest, water and food during training times, depriving the youth proper medical care and recovery when the youth is injured, failing to ensure safety of the youth during training times. What’s Happening Around Us Click here to read happenings of youth abuse or negligence in sports 1) Safety Conscious – Many are ignorant (TODAY – July 22, 2008) 2) Coach charged with molesting four boys (Straits Times – Feb 14, 2009) You may wish to refer to the following existing codes in other countries aimed at protecting the rights and interests of youth in sports : 1) http://www.ausport.gov.au/about/essence_of_sport/resources 2) http://www.sparc.org.nz/sport/coaches-code-of-ethics 3) http://www.nays.org/Resources/national_standards.cfm Back... |