Red Lake Nation News - Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Denver, CO – The U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center) today released its Annual Report for 2022.

During its sixth year of operation, the Center exceeded benchmarks for case resolution, courses delivered, audits of national governing bodies (NGBs), and building important new partnerships.

Abuse and misconduct reports to the Center increased by more than 50% from 2021 to 2022. The Center considers this a sign of a much-needed shift in sport culture.

“More and more people are recognizing the problem of abuse in sport, and many athletes and bystanders are coming forward because they know the Center is a trusted resource to them,” Ju’Riese Colón, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport said.

The Center’s 2022 Annual Report provides a detailed overview of operations, milestones, and data from last year.

Highlights include:

• Reports of abuse and misconduct up 53% from 2021 and nearly 2000% since 2017

• 1,845 individuals restricted or banned from sport listed on the Centralized Disciplinary Database (CDD)

• Allegations of emotional and physical abuse reported to the Center have increased by nearly 300% from 2020-2022

• Delivery of educational resources, including 1.5 million SafeSport online courses and an

Emotional and Physical Abuse Toolkit

• A record 69 audits of NGBs to ensure organizations are adhering to common-sense safety policies

• Increased digital engagement with the public, including a 92% bump in website traffic and 143 million public service announcement impressions

Click here to view a conversation between U.S. Center for SafeSport Board Chair and Paralympian

April Holmes, Board Member and Olympian Connie Smotek, and CEO Ju’Riese Colón, on amplifying athlete voices for a safer sport culture.

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:

•

o establishes safety policies, including the SafeSport Code and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP);

o investigates and resolves allegations of abuse and misconduct in a neutral manner, and levies sanctions, including temporary and permanent bans from sport; and

o 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 Abuse

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).