TY - JOUR
T1 - Snapchat and child sexual abuse in sport
T2 - Protecting child athletes in the social media age
AU - Sanderson, Jimmy
AU - Weathers, Melinda R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - Child sexual abuse is a pervasive problem that sport organizations must confront to protect the integrity of sport. While previous researchers have examined this topic, few have explored the role that technology plays. The authors address this gap by examining how coach perpetrators utilize Snapchat to facilitate sexual abuse, using Cense and Brackenridge's (2001) Temporal Model of Sexual Abuse with Children and Young Persons in Sport as a framework. Analysis of 99 media reports from 2013 to 2018 found that Snapchat provides motivation for coach perpetrators to sexually abuse that allowed them, in varied ways, to overcome internal inhibitions, external barriers, and break down victim resistance. The results indicate that youth sport organizations must develop clear policies that govern coach-athlete communication and relationships in the digital age. To further protect young athletes, youth sport organizations must develop programming to educate parents and athletes on these boundaries, to increase understanding about how sexual abuse and sexual maltreatment occur in virtual spaces.
AB - Child sexual abuse is a pervasive problem that sport organizations must confront to protect the integrity of sport. While previous researchers have examined this topic, few have explored the role that technology plays. The authors address this gap by examining how coach perpetrators utilize Snapchat to facilitate sexual abuse, using Cense and Brackenridge's (2001) Temporal Model of Sexual Abuse with Children and Young Persons in Sport as a framework. Analysis of 99 media reports from 2013 to 2018 found that Snapchat provides motivation for coach perpetrators to sexually abuse that allowed them, in varied ways, to overcome internal inhibitions, external barriers, and break down victim resistance. The results indicate that youth sport organizations must develop clear policies that govern coach-athlete communication and relationships in the digital age. To further protect young athletes, youth sport organizations must develop programming to educate parents and athletes on these boundaries, to increase understanding about how sexual abuse and sexual maltreatment occur in virtual spaces.
KW - Child sexual abuse
KW - Coach-athlete relationships
KW - Grooming
KW - Sexting
KW - Snapchat
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065105532&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.smr.2019.04.006
DO - 10.1016/j.smr.2019.04.006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85065105532
VL - 23
SP - 81
EP - 94
JO - Sport Management Review
JF - Sport Management Review
SN - 1441-3523
IS - 1
ER -