The survey found that sexual safety is a significant issue for women working in elite sport in the UK, with 88% of respondents reporting having been the target of at least one type of sexual misconduct in the past five years, and five (2%) saying they had been raped in a work-related situation outside their main workplace in that period.
The report, published on Wednesday, is titled ‘Experiences of sexual misconduct among women working in British elite sport’ and asked members of the Women’s Sport Collective to anonymously take part in the survey, with 260 responding. Participants included administrators, coaches, current and former athletes, television producers, lawyers, physical therapists, and more.
The statistics are grim, with 87% reporting that they have been the target of at least one form of sexual harassment and 40% reporting that they have been the target of at least one form of sexual assault. The study classified sexual misconduct into three categories: harassment, assault, and rape.
According to the report, three out of six reported rapes (one person reported being raped twice) were committed by people who self-identified as having a disability. Although sample size meant cross-over effects were difficult to trace, people who self-identified as having a disability (19) had much higher rates of maltreatment than other minority groups.
Lindsay Simpson, who carried out the survey, said: “The responses from people living with a disability were really outstanding and we felt this was noteworthy and needed to be explored further.”
Simpson, who holds a bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation and a master’s degree in workplace health and wellbeing, said the report puts the numbers behind a familiar anecdote for women working in elite sport: “Were you surprised by the results? No, but there’s something very powerful about looking at the numbers…We know that people don’t tend to report. So this gives you an idea of the scale and shape of the problem, and it gives us a very concrete picture of what kind of actual behavior we’re talking about.”
The survey included a question about the gender of the perpetrator and found that 93% of people who perceived sexual misconduct had occurred said the perpetrator was always or most of the time male.
“It’s widely understood and well-documented that men are disproportionately the perpetrators of sexual violence, but the last thing I wanted was for someone to say, ‘You didn’t even ask who was doing it. How do you know it’s not a woman?'” Simpson said. So the reason I asked to make sure I’m not making false assumptions is also because if you’re a woman and you’ve experienced sexual misconduct at the hands of another woman, it can be very difficult. You need to be believed, and you need to prove that too with actions. ”
Only 38% of participants expressed positive feelings about their governing body’s commitment to addressing issues related to sexual misconduct in the workplace, and only 46% of participants expressed positive feelings about their employer’s efforts (compared to 29% who had “absolutely” confidence in their employer). According to the report, 26% of those surveyed had no opinion on these questions.
Simpson hopes that women in elite sports who have experienced sexual misconduct will be validated through the understanding that they are in the majority and that their concerns and alarm are justified.
In his summary of the report, he pointed to the practical implications for employers, noting that the findings included criminal conduct. “If organizations fail to meet risk assessment and risk mitigation requirements – and as this research suggests, many do not – they expose themselves to negative legal, reputational and commercial repercussions.”
She also noted that this level of sexual misconduct undermines the industry’s ability to attract and retain female talent and “may undermine efforts to increase inclusivity and representation and create more balanced and effective power structures that lead to better organizational outcomes.”
Mr Simpson hopes the report will help organizations take action and “drive positive change”.
