Sports play a vital role in the lives of many young people, providing opportunities for achievement, joy, and social belonging. However, sport also has its darker sides. Approximately one in ten young people actively participating in sports report having experienced sexual harassment or abuse within the past year.
"To prevent such incidents, we need to better understand what is actually happening," says Kari Stefansen, a researcher affiliated with the Domestic Violence Research Programme at Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), which comprises studies on violence and abuse across various contexts.
Not just a problem of "dangerous" coaches
When we hear about sexual abuse in sports, the immediate association is often with severe cases where adult coaches exploit young athletes. Media reports like "Coach charged with sexual abuse of young girls" give the impression that this is the main issue.
Such cases are serious and do occur, but research from NOVA at OsloMet and the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) paints a more complex picture.
Violations can include derogatory comments about body and sexuality or inappropriate physical ‘attacs’ during training, competition, or in the locker room.– Kari Stefansen
"Many incidents of harassment do not involve coaches abusing their position of trust. Often, it is peers who are the perpetrators," says Stefansen.
Together with Gerd Marie Solstad at NOVA and Åse Strandbu from NIH, she recently published an opinion piece on this topic on a Norwegian website dedicated to health promotion and substance abuse prevention, "forebygging.no", based on their joint research.
A culture of toughness and silence
One challenge is that such behaviours may become “normalised” in sports. Players and coaches may interpret them as part of a competitive, tough culture. Young people might feel pressured to "handle a bit of rough play," and adults often fail to intervene when boundaries are crossed.
"If no one steps in, young people may believe this behaviour is acceptable, fostering a permissive culture where violations are downplayed," Stefansen says.
Even ‘mild’ violations can make girls feel unsafe and cause them to withdraw from sports.– Research Professor Kari Stefansen
Spectators and training environments
Harassment from spectators is also a problem. Girls report receiving unwanted attention from the stands, such as comments about their appearance or sexualised "compliments." Similar experiences are reported at gyms, particularly involving adult men.
In both scenarios, the harassment centres on receiving unwanted sexual attention in non-sexual settings, disrupting activities like a match or a workout.
This can have serious consequences. "Even 'mild' violations can make girls feel unsafe and cause them to withdraw from sports," Stefansen explains.
While abuse by coaches is less common than peer harassment, inappropriate actions by adults still occur. These may include comments about weight or body shape, or physical actions like slapping a player’s bottom as motivation.
Young people may find such behaviour intrusive, even if the coach did not intend it that way. Stefansen emphasises that coaches need greater awareness of the signals they send.
Prevention must go beyond avoiding abuse by adults. It should also aim to stop unwanted behaviour among peers and from spectators.– Kari Stefansen
Prevention: what can be done?
To create safer environments in sports, a broader approach to prevention is necessary. Measures like police background checks and reporting channels are important but insufficient. Focus must also be placed on the culture among athletes and the ability of coaches to address even minor incidents.
"Prevention must go beyond avoiding abuse by adults. It should also aim to stop unwanted behaviour among peers and from spectators. Coaches and other adults in sports have a responsibility to foster an inclusive and safe environment," Stefansen says.
The researchers behind the study hope their findings will raise awareness of sexual violations in youth sports. Sport should be a space for joy, achievement, and camaraderie – not fear and insecurity.
"For young athletes, it is crucial that adults take responsibility and intervene when boundaries are crossed. This ensures that everyone can participate safely," Stefansen concludes.
Sources
- Solstad, G.M. & Stefansen, K. (2025). Sexual violations in youth sport: Gendered mechanisms of alienation? In B. Rulofs and M. Hartill (Eds.), Child abuse in sport: Sociological perspectives. Emerald
- Strandbu, Å., Solstad, G.M., Stefansen, K., & Frøyland, L.R. (2023). Sexual harassment and other violations in youth sports: Prevalence and patterns of vulnerability. Nordic Journal of Youth Research
NOVAs programme for research on violence
The Domestic Violence Research Programme at NOVA, OsloMet (uni.oslomet.no), focuses on understanding domestic violence as a phenomenon and its consequences for those affected. It also examines societal measures to support victims and address violence. The research programme began in 2014 and has been funded by government grants.
