Table 1

Sexual abuse: classifications, constituents and examples in sport

Relational maltreatmentClassificationsConstituentsExamples in sport
Sexual abuseTouching sexual offences
  • Oral, anal or genital penile penetration

  • Oral, anal or genital penile penetration of an athlete

  • Anal or genital digital penetration

  • Anal or genital digital penetration of an athlete

  • Genital contact with no intrusion

  • Genital contact of an athlete with no intrusion

  • Unwanted/coerced fondling of an individual’s breasts or buttocks

  • Fondling of an athlete’s breasts or buttocks

  • Making an individual touch another person’s sexual organs

  • Making an athlete touch another person’s sexual organs

  • Exchange of reward or privilege for sexual favours

  • Exchange of reward in sport (eg, team placement, scores, feedback) for sexual favours

  • Inappropriate sexual contact: groping, fondling, pinching, kissing

  • Inappropriate sexual contact with an athlete (eg, kissing an athlete or pinching/tapping an athlete’s buttocks following successful performance)

Non-touching sexual offences
  • Indecent exposure

  • Coach exposes himself/herself in front of an athlete

  • Unwanted/coerced observation of masturbation

  • Masturbation in front of an athlete

  • Sexually oriented comments, jokes or sexual innuendoes

  • Sexually oriented comments, jokes or sexual innuendoes made to/about an athlete

  • Practical jokes based on sex

  • Sexually related practical joke played on an athlete (eg, revealing photos of an athlete taken)

  • Intimidating sexual remarks, propositions, invitations or familiarity

  • Coach discusses their sex life with an athlete

  • Flirtations with an athlete

  • Unwanted/coerced exposure to pornographic material

  • Exposing athletes to pornographic material

  • Unwanted/coerced deliberate exposure of an individual to the act of sexual intercourse

  • Deliberately exposing an athlete to the act of sexual intercourse

  • Inadequate or inappropriate supervision of a child’s voluntary sexual activities

  • Inadequate or inappropriate supervision of a child athlete’s voluntary sexual activities

  • In order for the described behaviours to be defined as relational maltreatment, they must occur within a critical relationship.