Denver, Colorado, Jan. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Center for SafeSport today launched the 2024 Athlete Culture and Climate Survey. The survey is intended to solicit input from adult athletes across all levels of sport related to any experiences of abuse or misconduct while participating in sport in the United States.
Survey submissions are anonymous, and the results will be compiled by Pacific Research and Evaluation, an independent research firm, and disseminated publicly prior to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this summer.
The survey will be open until February 9, 2024, and is available in both English and Spanish.
“From the practice field to the podium, SafeSport wants to understand the experiences of athletes at every level,” U.S. Center for SafeSport CEO, Ju’Riese Colon said. “This information is critical to our efforts to change sport culture, and we will use it to guide our processes and prevention strategies.”
The goals of the survey include:
- Understanding and assessing adult athlete experiences throughout all levels of sport
- Providing data-driven insights to inform SafeSport’s prevention education work and processes
- Informing the wider sports community about the needs and experiences of athletes
This is the second survey of its kind conducted by SafeSport; the first was administered in 2020 and received nearly 4,000 responses from athletes nationwide. For the 2024 edition, SafeSport has ramped up its distribution efforts and has extended the survey to athletes outside of the Olympic and Paralympic movement to reach a diverse range of participants.
After the survey closes, 200 participants will be randomly drawn to receive $20 Amazon gift cards, or one of four $100 Amazon gift cards.
Need for Abuse Prevention in Sport
The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the nation’s only independent organization dedicated to ending sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport. The Center emerged in response to high profile cases of sexual abuse of minor athletes within Olympic and Paralympic sport in the mid-2010s. With the mission of making athlete wellbeing the centerpiece of the nation’s sport culture, the Center has since been setting safety policies and receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints of abuse and misconduct. The Center also serves as an educational resource for sports organizations at all levels, from recreational sports organizations to professional leagues.
With the goal of ensuring athletes within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement of are safe, supported, and strengthened, the Center:
- Establishes safety policies, including the SafeSport Code and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP).
- Investigates and resolves allegations of abuse and misconduct and levies sanctions, including temporary and permanent bans from sport.
- Delivers comprehensive abuse prevention education within and outside of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
About the U.S. Center for SafeSport
The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 codified the U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center), a Denver, Colorado based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, as the nation’s safe sport organization. It furthered the Center’s independence while underscoring its authority to hold individuals accountable. It also charged the Center with developing policies, procedures, and training to prevent abuse and misconduct to protect the 11 million individuals affiliated with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
In October of 2020, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 became law, even further strengthening the Center’s independence and oversight functions while mandating minimum funding requirements for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
The Center opened its doors in March of 2017.
Reporting and Resources
Report here to the U.S. Center for SafeSport if you have experienced abuse or misconduct—or if you have reasonable suspicion of abuse or misconduct inflicted on, or by, someone in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. You can also call 833-587-7233 to make a report.
If a situation does not involve sport or anyone within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, you can contact RAINN's 24/7 online hotline or call 800-656-HOPE (4673).
For anyone in crisis, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support at 988lifeline.org or by calling 988.
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Hilary Nemchik U.S. Center for SafeSport media@safesport.org
