Victims of Child Abuse Urged to Come Forward

It's every parent's worst nightmare - finding out their child is being sexually abused by an adult they had put their trust in. Despite long-standing legislation to protect children in the UK, adults continue to abuse youngsters in their care as highlighted in the recent investigations into the Catholic Church. It is also a problem in organised sport and, now, a researcher at Edge Hill University is appealing for male victims of sexual abuse in sport to come forward.

Mike Hartill, a senior lecturer in sport studies and sociology, hopes his research will highlight the plight of boys who have been abused and force the Government to act. "Little research had been done into sexual abuse in sport and previous studies have tended to focus on females - but it's also a significant problem for boys," he said. "To understand this problem it's vital that research considers the testimony of those who know most about it. Obviously speaking out is a difficult decision for anyone to take, but they will have complete anonymity."

Mike, who teaches the only safeguarding children in sport module in the country, has set up a website www.edgehill.ac.uk/cas where victims can find more information about his study. "If we can?t assume that children will be safe within sport and free from abusive adults, there seems little point in having sport at all," Mike said. "Children's sport should fundamentally be about combining physical activity with fun and learning important lessons for life through that combination. That's why it's so important that we tackle this issue head on."

The project is being backed by the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CSPU). "Listening and learning from the experiences of survivors is key to the development of safeguarding practices in sport," CSPU director Steve Boocock explained. "Mike's research is another important step for sports bodies and others in developing their understanding and practice."

Anyone interested in contributing to Mike's study should email him, in confidence, at hartillm@edgehill.ac.uk by the end of July. To interview Mike Hartill, please contact Phil Smith at Communications Management on 01727 733887 or phil@communicationsmanagement.co.uk.