U.S. Center for Safesport: ‘Culture Shift’ Is Taking Place
During its seventh year of operation, the U.S. Center of Safesport announced recently that it has:
- Fielded more than 7,500 reports of abuse and misconduct.
- Initiated significant process improvements throughout the organization to improve efficiency, trauma sensitivity, and communication
- Delivered essential abuse prevention education to athletes, coaches, and parents throughout the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and beyond
- Audited every National Governing Body (NGB) to ensure compliance with safety policies
Reports continue their year-over-year increase, rising by more than 30% from 2022 to 2023. The Center considers this “a sign that people better understand red-flag behavior and are speaking up when they know or even suspect that abuse or misconduct is occurring.”
“As a result of our work, a culture shift in sport is taking root,” Ju’Riese Colón, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport said. “Athletes are rejecting the notion that sexual harassment is inevitable, coaches aren’t turning a blind eye to inappropriate behavior, and parents aren’t tolerating abusive practices. Together, we are establishing a culture where people are compelled to throw open the curtains on abuse rather than sweep it under the rug.”
The Center’s 2023 Annual Report provides anoverview of operations, milestones, and data from last year. Highlights include:
- Delivery of 5,652,257 online courses to 3,901,951 individuals to better prepare the sport community to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse since 2017
- Development of specialized educational resources, including courses for Youth and Teens, a Bullying Prevention Handbook and a Parent and Guardian’s Handbook for Safer Sport
- Conducted 52 audits of NGBs as well as 30 pre-audit site visits to ensure sport organizations are adhering to common-sense safety policies
- 2,040 individuals who are restricted or banned from sport are listed on the Centralized Disciplinary Database (CDD)
- Reports of abuse and misconduct are up by more than 30% since 2022, and have increased by more than 2,500% since 2017
As reports continue to rise, the Center’s funding remains “static.” The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, & Amateur Athletes Act of 2020, which mandates a $20 million annual payment by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to fund the Center’s operations, “does not account for rising inflation, an exponential increase in reports, nor the potential addition of new sports and millions of new athletes to the Olympic & Paralympic Movement.”
Colón raised the need for additional funds when she testified before hearings of Subcommittees in both the House of Representatives and Senate in March of 2024. Other witnesses and legislators present at the hearings widely acknowledged that the Center requires additional resources.
“The safety of our nation’s athletes is too important to shortchange,” said Colón. “Regardless of whether additional funding continues to come through the USOPC as required by federal law, or directly from federal appropriations, Congressional action is needed to maintain existing funding and secure $10 million more annually to fully fund the execution of the Center’s mission.”