For Whom the Shame Bell Tolls

An overwhelming number of reports continue to surface regarding coaches sexually abusing their athletes across all sports. Most of the time, the comments section on the stories is filled with hundreds of remarks casting judgment on the survivor. As these survivors are frequently children and teens, comments also ascribe shame and blame on the parents as well. Although writers across academia, journalism, and advocacy groups detail the constructs and impacts of victim blaming, it still continues.‍

The occurrence of victim blaming and family guilting extends from sexual misconduct and grooming in sport to child and sexual abuse as a whole. This harmful phenomenon is facilitated by the culture surrounding sexual abuse, which is an epidemic in and of itself. Survivors already face extreme adversity and often retraumatization in the disclosing, reporting, and justice seeking processes. In particular, the disclosure of sexual abuse is an exceedingly emotional and challenging task, which the majority of survivors do not engage in for a variety of complex interpersonal and societal reasons.‍

“Only 26% of child sexual abuse survivors disclose to adults, and only 12% disclose to authorities…and less than 5% of all cases are found to be intentionally fabricated.” For these survivors and families who have bravely come forward, victim blaming and parent shaming only further…