FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

46th Canadian Sport Awards: Nominees unveiled, Respect Group named Presenting Sponsor for Most Trending Moment of Year Award 

December 4, 2023 

TORONTO – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is proud to announce that Respect Group, a headversity company, has been named the Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 People’s Choice Award for Most Trending Moment of the Year.  

A dedicated partner since 2019, Respect Group has been working for nearly 20 years to eliminate bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination by inspiring a global culture of respect. Expanding its relationship with AthletesCAN, Respect Group’s name and brand will featured across a national digital campaign running from Dec. 4-19, highlighting 10 unforgettable Team Canada moments from 2023, culminating in the winner reveal on Wednesday, Dec. 20.  

Respect Group will also continue to offer all AthletesCAN members complimentary access to its Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders training course, which will be promoted throughout the campaign.  

“When AthletesCAN came to us with the opportunity to work together on their Most Trending Moment Award, we knew right away this was a great way to inspire Canadians to live our shared values,” said Respect Group co-founder and former professional hockey player Sheldon Kennedy. “The 10 moments nominated by our sport partners are about more than just success on the field of play – some of them are tied to victories and defeats, but what makes them stand out is their power to make us laugh, cry, and stand up and cheer. Most importantly, these moments are the moments that inspire us to be better people.” 

Created in 2020, the People’s Choice Award for Most Trending Moment of the Year Presented by Respect Group, is the final honour to be bestowed as part of the 46th Canadian Sport Awards, which were recognized at the 2023 AthletesCAN Forum in Vancouver.  

The award honours a current or retired national team athlete who has captured the virtual world by storm. It highlights the magic that lives within sport to inspire and motivate all Canadians through innovative use of a digital platform, captivating athletic performance, or who’s digital actions have been a force for good.  

The year’s campaign was deferred until the conclusion of the 2023 Pan and Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, in order to have the opportunity the celebrate these moments from the entire year, including those captured on the Multisport Games stage. The 10 finalists were selected in consultation with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees, as well as CBC Sports.  

“We appreciate the support of Respect Group for helping us elevate and amplify the amazing achievements of our national team athletes,” said CSA Committee Chair Celina Toth. “These 10 moments exemplify the best of what AthletesCAN, Respect Group, and Team Canada stand for and we’re looking forward to seeing which moment comes out on top.” 

Previous winners of the Most Trending Moment Award include Paralympian swimmer Danielle Kisser, with the creation of her do-it-yourself swimming pool that she used to train for the Tokyo 2020 Games; the Canadian women’s soccer team’s Olympic gold medal, and the medal performances of the 3×3 men’s and women’s basketball and wheelchair basketball teams at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.  

Voting for this year’s competition is now open until 11:59 p.m. PT on Saturday, Dec. 16.  

About Respect Group 

 Respect Group, a headversity company, was incorporated in 2004 by co-founders, Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, to pursue their common passion: the prevention of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD). As Canada’s leading online provider of prevention education related to BAHD, Respect Group has certified over 2.3 Million people involved in sport, schools and the workplace. Respect Group is a Certified B Corporation (bcorporation.net) 

About the Canadian Sport Awards  

 The Canadian Sport Awards were established in 1972 by modern day co-founders True Sport, Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport, Canada Games Council, Commonwealth Sport Canada, and AthletesCAN to recognize and showcase excellence in Canadian sport. Since then, the CSA evolved over time to become the premier recognition event for national sporting excellence. After the 40th anniversary, the awards experienced a five-year hiatus. In 2017, AthletesCAN successfully acquired the rights to revive this staple event to once again bring together members of the sport community to honour the spirit, drive, and commitment of Canada’s international level athletes, coaches, volunteers, and sport leaders. 

About AthletesCAN 

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships. AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.   

Follow us on social @AthletesCAN and Join #TheCollective today. 

For more information, please contact: 

Alan Hudes 
Manager, Communications & Sport Partnerships 
AthletesCAN 
613-526-4025 Ext. 224 
ahudes@athletescan.ca  

Respect Group and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association are proud to announce the grand prize winner and finalists of the ninth annual Essay Contest presented by Respect in Sport. This year’s theme was ‘I Love To Play Hockey’. The contest was designed to engage players in an educational manner while encouraging them to express their thoughts on what life skills they learn from playing hockey.

Over 100 essays were submitted and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association in partnership with Respect Group want to thank everyone for their participation. Based on the quality, creativity and passion demonstrated in their submission, five finalists were selected with one of them emerging as our grand prize winner.

Owen Misener of Woolwich Minor Hockey Association is this year’s winner who wrote about how hockey helped him learn the importance of being on a team. For being named winner, Owen will receive a $1000 worth of CCM Hockey Gear.

“Respect in Sport is about providing a positive environment for all, so that hockey players can enjoy the game, and learn from the positive adult role models around them, like parents, coaches, and officials,” said Respect Group’s Co-founder Wayne McNeil. “Respect Group is very proud to support the OMHA Essay Contest and wants to thank every player who submitted an essay and also congratulate the five Finalists.”

Thank you all for your fantastic submissions!

Muslim athletes fast from dawn to sunset each day throughout the 30 days of the holy month of Ramadan. Most athletes continue to compete and train while engaging in religious, cultural, philanthropic and social activities that will help them grow spiritually. In this clip below, Farkhunda Muhtaj, Respect Group ambassador, talks about how athletes and coaches can respectfully approach the month of Ramadan.

Across all levels of youth-serving organizations, activity leaders, teachers, and other adults in youth-serving roles have the responsibility to report suspected or disclosed incidents of maltreatment. Below we explore guidelines and responsibilities for reporting abuse, neglect, and other forms of maltreatment, using information adapted from our Respect in School and Respect in Sport programs. 

Responsibilities of Activity Leaders

Activity leaders who hear or suspect abuse or neglect have the responsibility to report when:

• A young person discloses abuse, neglect, or other forms of maltreatment
• You witness an incident of maltreatment
• A third-party discloses that a young person is being abused or neglected
• You suspect that a young person is experiencing abuse or neglect

Guidelines for disclosures and reporting include:

1. Look for opportunities to speak to the young person about what is going on. 
2. Remain calm to create a safe space to discuss your concerns. Though you may be experiencing difficult emotions, do not react with shock or disbelief. 
3. Be honest, up front, and don’t make promises, especially about confidentiality. Make this known clearly by saying things like, “I can’t promise to keep this a secret because we need to keep you safe!”. 
4. Reassure the young person by saying things like, “You’ve done the right thing by telling me what’s going on. What happened is not your fault!”. 
5. Assess the need for the young person’s immediate safety. 
6. Know your role and do not attempt to provide counselling or other support beyond your capacity. Instead, include the young person in the decision-making process. 
7. Refer the young person to a parent or guardian (unless they are the alleged perpetrator), or an adult with whom they feel safe, like a relative, friend or coach. 
8. Report incidents or suspicions to child protection authorities or police. 
9. Do not confront the perpetrator. 
10. Fully complete an Incident Report and any other required organizational procedures. Your organization may have a standard form, but if not, you can use the form from our Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders program. Completing this report is especially important if there is a criminal investigation.  
11. Remember to take care of yourself and seek support if you need it. Hearing a disclosure or witnessing maltreatment may be emotionally difficult. While maintaining confidentiality, you can seek support for yourself from trusted friends, family, or the organization. 

The Organization’s Responsibility

When a young person has disclosed abuse or neglect, or you suspect maltreatment, the organization must:

1. Assist police and/or other authorities in internal investigations. 
2. Prevent the perpetrator from having contact with the young person.  
3. Never attempt to conduct their own investigation without first consulting with Child Protection Authorities and/or police. 

Reference:

Fairholm, J., (2003) Hearing the Hurt, Changing the Future, 2nd Edition – Preventing Child/Youth Maltreatment, Canadian Red Cross

As youth leaders, it can be challenging to know what to do or how to react when a young person discloses to you that they have experienced abuse, maltreatment, or inappropriate conduct. The steps below can help guide activity leaders in addressing and supporting disclosures from children and youth.

1. Take immediate steps to protect the young person.

If necessary and safe to do so, intervene and help the child or youth out of immediate danger, or call the police and report the situation if not.

2. Document the disclosure, word for word, as soon as possible.

Document the time, date, and who was involved. Make notes immediately after your conversation with the child so the information stays fresh in your mind. This process may also include documenting comments or concerns made by the young person’s parents, caregivers, other leaders, or anyone else relevant to the situation.

3. Be aware of your initial reaction.

During this process, provide a safe, secure environment to share what has happened by focusing on staying calm and setting your personal feelings of fear, disbelief, anger or sadness aside. Know that support and resources are available to you to process the disclosure and your next steps by contacting the Canadian Sport Helpline by calling 1-888-83SPORT (77678) or emailing info@abuse-free-sport.com, available 7 days a week from 8 am-8 pm ET.

4. Listen and believe.

Whether you suspect abuse and ask the child about it, or they disclose it to you, as soon as the child or young person starts talking about it, stop asking questions. Let the child continue to talk. Keep providing support, but don’t prompt or ask further questions. Reassure the child that telling you was the right thing to do. Explain that you believe them and will need to tell someone who can help them.

5. Report your concerns immediately.

Always report incidents of abuse to your organization and contact your local child protection agency and/or local police service. Within your duty of care is a legal duty to report suspected child abuse. You do not need proof, just a reasonable suspicion. You do not need permission to report, nor can anyone prevent you from reporting. The report must come from the person who receives the information first-hand, not a third party.

6. Know the difference between reporting abuse and reporting inappropriate conduct.

If the disclosure reported is inappropriate conduct but not abuse, it may be warranted for the organization to meet with the accused to discuss the allegations and concerns and their response to the allegations, without disclosing the source. This step only applies if there is no immediate risk of harm to the child or youth involved and no abuse of any kind has been reported. With this information, the head of the organization may choose how to proceed with handling the disclosure, either directly with the volunteer and employee, the young person, and their parents or caregivers, or through formally reporting the incident to the authorities depending on the nature of the allegations.

The information above has been adapted from the resources from the Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders program.

More information about our programs can be found through the links below:

• Respect in Sport
  • For Parents
  • For Activity Leaders
  • For Officials 
• Keeping Girls in Sport
• Stay in the Game
• Respect in School

As youth leaders, parents, and educators, it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of maltreatment in children and youth. Maltreatment comes in many forms, including verbal, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. Below we explore the unique and often overlapping signs and symptoms of the various forms of maltreatment.

Signs of verbal abuse in children and youth may include:

• Seeming fearful of adults, including parents or caregivers
• Showing sudden changes in behavior (ex. an outgoing child becoming withdrawn or angry)
• Lashing out verbally at their peers

Signs of physical abuse in children and youth may include:

• Having unexplained injuries, faded bruises or noticeable marks especially to the head, upper arms or back
• Shying away from touch, flinching at sudden movements, or seeming afraid to go home
• Wearing inappropriate clothing to cover up injuries (ex. long-sleeved shirts on hot days)

Signs of sexual abuse in children and youth may include:

• Having difficulty walking or sitting
• Making strong efforts to avoid a specific person, without any obvious reason
• Exhibiting unusually sophisticated behavior or sexual knowledge for their age

Signs of neglect in children and youth may include:

• Wearing dirty clothes or being underdressed for the weather
• Having bad hygiene (ex. regularly unbathed, matted and unwashed hair or body odor)
• Having illnesses or physical injuries that go untreated, or lacking dental care or other medical needs

Emotional abuse underlies all forms of abuse and neglect. Signs of emotional abuse in children and youth may include:

• Consistently showing low self-esteem and lacking confidence
• Talking about suicide or self-harm
• Feeling excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious

More information on preventing abuse and promoting safe, supportive environments for all children and youth can be found through our programs:

• Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders
• Respect in Sport for Parents
• Respect in Sport for Officials 
• Respect in School
  

When discussing diversity and inclusion, it is important to have a shared understanding of the common terms used to discuss the sources and mechanisms of discrimination. At Respect Group, we recognize that these terms can be complex, and have recently updated our Workplace, School, and Sport programs to explicitly discuss these concepts and their impacts across different contexts. To better educate yourself and your organization on how to actively promote diversity and inclusion, it is important to understand the differences between systemic racism, unconscious bias, and microaggressions, and the overarching role that intersectionality plays within each of these concepts. 

Systemic Racism

Systemic racism is defined as, “Organizational culture, policies, directives, practices or procedures that exclude, displace, or marginalize some racialized groups and/or create unfair barriers for them to access valuable benefits and opportunities” (Government of Ontario, 2020). This is enacted through institutional biases that are built into the culture, policies, practices and procedures of organizations and systems, privileging the interests and opportunities of dominant groups while disadvantaging marginalized groups (Government of Ontario, 2020). 

Systemic racism can be found in all major institutions, from governments and schools to public and private companies and religious organizations. It is important to note that systemic racism differs from racial bias in that these policies and procedures often appear neutral and may not be intended to disadvantage members of marginalized groups, but in practice, have the effect of doing so. 

Unconscious Bias

According to Catalyst (2019), unconscious bias is, “An association or attitude about a person or social group that, while not plainly expressed, operates beyond our control and awareness, informs our perceptions, and can influence our decision-making and behaviour.” Unconscious biases are pervasive, powerful predictors of behaviour, even if they don’t match conscious attitudes or opinions (Catalyst, 2014). Unconscious biases impact actions large and small, but are more likely to be observed when conscious controls over decision-making are lowered and factors such as stress, distraction, relaxation, or competition impact one’s control over conscious behaviours (Catalyst, 2014).  

It’s important to recognize that everyone has unconscious biases within our worldviews, affecting our actions across different areas of our lives that we may not be aware of, but are perceived by others (Catalyst, 2019). These biases often reflect internalized societal messages and norms, which are influenced and/or created by systemic racism, misogyny, and other common stereotypes and prejudices. Unconscious biases can create many barriers at both organizational and individual levels, working against inclusion, performance, engagement, and innovation (Catalyst, 2019). Given the nature of unconscious biases, we cannot completely eliminate them, but we can develop strategies and skills to override these biases and mitigate their impacts (Catalyst, 2019). 

Microaggressions

Racial microaggressions are a form of discrimination that is brief and commonplace; occurring daily; and can be verbal or nonverbal (Sue et al., 2007). There are three common forms of microaggressions: microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations (Sue et al., 2007). 

Microassaults are explicitly derogatory verbal or nonverbal attacks on one’s race, where the perpetrator aims to hurt or harm the victim through name-calling, avoidant behaviour, or discriminatory actions (Sue et al., 2007). One example of this may be using outdated and offensive terms to refer to Black or Indigenous peoples (Sue et al., 2007). Microassaults are usually both conscious and deliberate, and often occur in relatively ‘private’ contexts, where the perpetrator can maintain some degree of anonymity (Sue et al., 2007). 

Microinsults are subtle, rude and insensitive comments or actions that demean a person’s racial heritage or identity (Sue et al., 2007). Microinsults may seem harmless to the perpetrator, but hold a deeper, more painful meaning for the victim (Sue et al., 2007). One example of this may be not taking the time to learn the proper pronunciation of a co-worker’s name because it is unfamiliar, and consistently mispronouncing or avoiding using their name (Montañez, 2020). These types of statements and actions may not necessarily be aggressive , but the context in which they occur and the impact on victims determines whether a comment or action is a microinsult (Sue et al., 2007).

Microinvalidations are comments or actions that exclude, ignore, or invalidate the thoughts, feelings, or reality of a person of colour (Sue et al., 2007). Examples may include asking a person of colour where they are from ‘originally’, or where they are ‘really’ from (Sue et al., 2007). 

The daily experience of microaggressions is incredibly harmful, both for the individuals experiencing them and for organizations as a whole (Sue et al., 2007). Though the emotional tax of experiencing microaggressions can be felt in a wide variety of context, more information on the high emotional tax of experiencing racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in the workplace can be found here. 

Intersectionality

Lastly, it is important to consider the role that intersectionality plays in impacting the experiences of individuals and organizations. Coined by scholar and advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989), the term intersectionality refers to the ways in which the intersecting and overlapping identities of individuals impacts their lives based on their social location, which includes (but is not limited to) one’s race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, age, ability, and citizenship. Intersectionality is both a concept and a tool that can be used to reflect on how the policies and procedures of a system or organization impact individuals with intersecting identities, who may be experiencing multiple, layered forms of oppression and discrimination (Crenshaw, 1989). 

The resources below provide more information on systemic racism, unconscious bias, and microaggressions specific to schools, sports organizations, and workplaces. 

Resources for Schools

• Physical & Health Education Canada’s Anti-Black Racism Resources for K-12 Classrooms

• Lesson Plans from Speak Truth to Power Canada

• Talking About Race & Privilege: Lesson Plan for Middle & High School Students 

• Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism Resources for Educators 

• • From Early Childhood Educators through to College/University

• School Mental Health Ontario resources for conversations about Anti-Black Racism

Resources for Sports Organizations

• Physical & Health Education Canada’s We Belong Guide
• Anti-Racism Resources from the Sport Information Resource Centre  
• Resources, programs and research from the Black Canadian Coaches Association
• Team Canada Anti-Racism Resources
• WeCoach Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism Resources

Resources for Workplaces

• Understanding Unconscious Bias: Ask Catalyst Express
• What is Unconscious Bias?
• Intersectionality in the Workplace
• Microaggressions in the Workplace
• Implicit Bias Workshop
• How to Combat Unconscious Bias as an Individual
• How to  Combat Unconscious Bias as a Leader in your Organization
• Canadian Anti-Racism Network

References

Catalyst. (2019, December 12). Understanding unconscious bias: Ask Catalyst Express. Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/research/unconscious-bias-resources/  

Catalyst. (2014, December 11). What is Unconscious Bias? Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/research/infographic-what-is-unconscious-bias/  

Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. u. Chi. Legal f., 139.

Government of Ontario. Glossary. (2020, February 29). Retrieved 

from https://www.ontario.ca/document/data-standards-identification-and-monitoring-systemic-racism/glossary

Montañez, R. (2020, June 11). 10 microaggressions and 5 microinvalidations women of colour are tired of, are you guilty? Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelmontanez/2020/06/11/10-microinsults-and-5-microinvalidations-women-of-color-are-tired-of-are-you-guilty/?sh=7b9ef35f6ea8 

Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M., Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A., Nadal, K. L., & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: implications for clinical practice. American psychologist, 62(4), 271.

What Does it Mean to Empower the Bystander?

While many of us are well aware of the harm that can come to a child experiencing maltreatment (which includes bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination) many of us are unsure of what to do if we suspect or learn that a child has experienced maltreatment. Empowered bystanders have the knowledge and tools to take action when maltreatment is suspected or disclosed. This means that parents, coaches, and other youth leaders have a clear awareness and understanding of the signs of abuse and what constitutes maltreatment, what to do if a child discloses that they have been harmed, and the steps for reporting suspected maltreatment.

While this definition and the information below apply to sport and school contexts, the general theme of empowering the bystander and the tools for action described below can be applied in a variety of contexts, including the workplace. 

The Importance of Bystanders 

Maltreatment is an issue of power: the offender attempts to control or overpower the victim, causing harm. However, bystanders who suspect or are aware that maltreatment has occurred have an incredible amount of power to either better or worsen the situation, and ultimately, the outcomes for victims of maltreatment.

It is normal for individuals to delay or not disclose that they have experienced maltreatment. There are many reasons for not disclosing the harmful behaviours they are experiencing, including power differentials and feelings of powerlessness, fear of the perpetrator, isolation, silencing, a lack of bystander intervention, and organizational denial (Mountjoy et al., 2016). If bystanders witness or suspect maltreatment but do not say anything, either because of acceptance of the behaviour, non-intervention, denial or silence, victims may believe that the behaviour is acceptable and that they would be powerless if they chose to speak out (Mountjoy et al., 2016). The role of the bystander is crucial for individuals experiencing maltreatment to feel comfortable disclosing when they are experiencing abuse, to understand which behaviours are acceptable or unacceptable, and as advocates for the children in their care. 

How To Address Maltreatment: 

1. The Initial Conversation

If you suspect a child is experiencing maltreatment or they disclose to you an incident where they experienced harm, the first step is to discuss your concerns with the child. The conversation should be documented and should occur in a safe, confidential space. The Rule of Two still applies in this context, meaning that another adult should be present for the conversation. The conversation should be as open as possible; this means using active, empathetic listening and avoiding suggestive, directing, or leading questions (Jeckell et al., 2018). If disclosure happens when you are alone with a child, you should report the incident to your organization and make sure to follow up with the child and their parents as soon as possible to discuss the next steps.

It can be so hard to know what to say and distressing to hear that maltreatment has occurred. The most important things to remember are to:

• • Let the child know that you believe them 
  • Explain that what they experienced is not their fault and that the behaviour is not acceptable
  • Encourage them for being brave and coming forward to talk about the harm they experienced

Each situation should be treated individually and emotional and psychological support, as well as medical services, should be offered to the child depending on their needs (Jeckell et al., 2018). Resources like Kids Help Phone are available across Canada, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support young people in distress. 

In addition to the process outlined above, parents can find more resources for supporting a child or youth who has disclosed abuse or misconduct through the tips outlined on NeedHelpNow.ca 

2. Reporting Maltreatment

Any adult who suspects that a child has experienced maltreatment has a duty to report their concerns to the appropriate authorities. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Your sport organization may also have an internal process for reporting instances of maltreatment. While it is crucial to contact local authorities to report the abuse, alerting the sport organization as soon as possible can help to protect other children and youth who may still be in the care of the alleged offender.

The Coaching Association of Canada has a full list of resources here that you can contact nationwide to report your concerns. Some of these resources include:

• The Canadian Sport Helpline supports victims and witnesses of maltreatment in sport to report their concerns and plan their next steps. The Helpline is available 7 days a week from 8:00 am-8:00pm EST by phone or text: 1-888-837-7678 or by email: info@abuse-free-sport.ca 
• Any suspected child sexual abuse or misconduct occurring online can be reported to Cybertip.ca 
• The Canadian Centre for Child Protection has resources and information for reporting suspected child abuse

• Commit To Kids, a program from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, has created helpful infographics to understand the process of reporting abuse and misconduct:
  • Steps for Reporting Child Sexual Abuse (for sport organizations)
  • Steps for Reporting Inappropriate Conduct (for sport organizations)
  • Reporting Child Sexual Abuse and Misconduct (for parents)
• The Coaching Association of Canada has also created Resources for Parents to better understand safety in sport, including the responsibilities of your sports organization and of individual coaches

3. Prevention

After reporting the incident of maltreatment and taking steps to address the individual incident, it is important for organizations to review their internal processes to prevent maltreatment moving forward. According to Mountjoy et al., (2016) this can include:

• Ensuring that there are clear policies and codes of conduct around safe sport and maltreatment prevention
• Comprehensive, regular education and training around safe sport codes of conduct and practices
• Maintaining or creating a standardized recruitment process for staff/volunteers that includes background screening 
• Maintaining or developing a process for complaints and support
• Continuing to monitor and evaluate safe sport practices 

While the information above in specific to sport, similar processes can be followed in schools and workplaces. If you suspect that bullying, abuse, harassment, or discrimination, also known as BAHD behaviours, are occurring in your school, it is important to contact local authorities and the school board to report your concerns. In addition, you can explore the procedures for reporting incidents of BAHD behaviours through your local school board’s website. One example of this is the Toronto District School Board’s policies and procedures (found here) on bullying, which include additional resources for parents and teachers to explore.

If BAHD behaviours are occurring in your workplace, processes for reporting may differ depending on your location. You can learn more about seeking support, supporting others, and creating culture change to prevent BAHD behaviours through the resources from the Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. 

Lastly, you can learn more about recognizing BAHD behaviours and tips for action through the resources below:

• Empowering the Bystander in Sport: Tools for Action
• Empowering the Bystander in the Workplace: Tools for Action
• How to Recognize Emotionally Abusive Behaviours

References:

Jeckell, A. S., Copenhaver, E. A., & Diamond, A. B. (2018). The spectrum of hazing and peer sexual abuse in sports: A current perspective. Sports Health, 10(6), 558-564.

Mountjoy, M., Brackenridge, C., Arrington, M., Blauwet, C., Carska-Sheppard, A., Fasting, K., … & Starr, K. (2016). International Olympic Committee consensus statement: harassment and abuse (non-accidental violence) in sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(17), 1019-1029.

The goal of sports and other youth activities is for youth to have fun, learn new skills, and to stay safe. All of their supporters, including parents, family members, coaches, and organization staff, have an important role to play when bullying, abuse, harassment, or discrimination, also known as BAHD behaviours, occur. When bystanders witness BAHD behaviours but do not say anything or address the situation, children and youth may think that the behaviour is acceptable, or that nothing can be done to stop it. However, when bystanders step up and address BAHD behaviours, we not only protect our children and youth, but we also teach valuable lessons on which behaviours are unsafe or unacceptable, and how to handle these challenging situations with care and respect.

It takes courage to step up and step in when we see a parent, coach, or youth leader losing control, and it can be hard to know where to start.  Here are some tips to make stepping up and stepping in safer and less intimidating so that you can protect the young people in your care and yourself.

Tips to make stepping up and stepping in safer and less intimidating:

• People who bully often believe they are speaking for the group. They do not know they have crossed the line unless someone says otherwise. Often, if you point out how others are feeling, the person doing the bullying will understand the impact of their actions and stop.
• There is power in numbers. If you are witnessing out of control behaviour, chances are other parents are too. Never approach someone alone. Take at least one other person to help diffuse the situation.
• Research shows that the best way to stop bullying behaviour is to say something calmly and respectfully. If you approach someone angrily or try to intimidate them, you can worsen the situation. Remember, be cool, calm, and respectful.
• When you step up and step in to approach a bullying individual and they are unwilling to control themselves, don’t get angry and don’t escalate the situation.
• If you lose your temper the situation will get worse, not better. Walk away, then bring the situation to the attention of the coach and the sport organization.
• Most of all, never put yourself in danger. If you feel at risk, get to a safe place or with other people. Leave, then call police.

Education is a crucial tool in the bystander’s toolkit. Through a strong understanding of BAHD behaviours, their impacts on children and youth, and how to step up and step in when we witness or suspect these behaviours are occurring, we have the opportunity to keep sport and other youth activities safe and fun for all. You can find more tools and information on empowering the bystander to address BAHD behaviours through our online programs here:

• Respect in Sport
• Respect in the Workplace
• Respect in School