The majority of child sexual abuse cases involve a perpetrator that the child knows and trusts, so it’s no surprise that an estimated 4.8 million youth athletes may be victims of sexual abuse. Some sports groups in the country are beefing up their background screening practices, such as the Athlete Protection & Safety program at the USA Lacrosse. The multi-level approach with preventative measures helps reduce the risk of abuse experienced by athletes and it begins with a mandatory background screening for all coach members. Transparency is a key factor in keeping young athletes safe and parents should feel comfortable asking about the use of appropriate background screening for individuals within their child’s sports club.
