Soccer Ontario & Respect in Sport

Leaders A Leader….. Occupies a unique position to observe the environment of his activity Anticipes and faces crisis…. is proactive Knows how to identify and handle all forms of maltreatment toward the participants in his care Teaches by example: role model Has power!

Leaders Are you a Leader? Coach Official Volunteer Parent You ?? As a role model for youth, YES, you are Leaders!

Power of Leaders All Leaders have Power Ensure this power is used in constructive and positive ways Leaders are in a unique position to observe the environment of their activity Leaders must know how to identify and handle all forms of maltreatment toward the participants in their care This is why we need to review bullying and harassment

Bullying and Harassment Key factor: Misuse of Power Discrimination is frequently the motivation, specifically: AgePhysical appearance RaceGender Sexual orientation Whatever the motivation, the impact is the same Bullying and Harassment are related, but differentiated by consequences

Bullying A bully…… A person expressing power through the humiliation of another person Bullying = harassment if the behavior is based on discrimination Bullying is deliberate, hurtful behavior Bullying behavior is designed to exert power over victims Victims of bullies are generally younger, smaller or physically weaker than the aggressor, but this is not always the case Bullying behaviors are usually repeated over time

Bullying Competitive nature of sport an ideal environment for bullying All Leaders are responsible to prevent this behavior 4 Types of Bullying: Physical Bullying Verbal Bullying Relationship Bullying Cyber Bullying

Bullying Verbal bullying is most common form of bullying for boys Relational Bullying: Gossip Ignoring Social Isolation Exclusion Relational bullying most common among girls

Harassment Harassment is behavior that is: Insulting Intimidating Humiliating Malicious Degrading Offensive Harassment = Discrimination Racial bias Religion Sexual orientation Disability Victims and aggressors can be any person, male or female and of any age

Harassment Key factor in harassment is the impact on victim, not the intent of the aggressor Harassment breeds negative and uncomfortable feelings Harassment conveyed in many different ways It is often said that while extreme forms of harassment are black and white, much harassing behavior falls into the “grey zone”

Harassment Ask Yourself: Would I do this or say this if my significant other were present? Would I want another person to do this or say this to someone I care about? Would I want to be seen on TV or in the newspaper doing this or saying this? Would I say or do this to a participant if their parents were present? If the participant is an adult, would I do this or say this if their spouse or partner were present? If the answer to any of the above questions is “no”, then the behavior is in the “grey zone” and is not acceptable

Harassment 4 Major Types of Harassment: Personal Harassment Sexual Harassment Criminal Harassment Abuse of Power and Authority Personal Harassment targets : RaceSkin colorCulture Religion LanguageBody size and shape StatusSkillAge Physical and mental disability

Harassment Sexual Harassment includes: Unwelcome sexual conduct Spreading sexually based gossip Comments about body and body functions Display of sexual pictures Unwanted touching Criminal Harassment includes: Stalking Behaviors which threaten a victim or their family Damage to victims’ property Threats of physical or sexual assault Extortion

Harassment/Bullying Non-Criminal Harassment/Bullying Name calling Unwelcome jokes Sexual comments or gestures Put downs Playing favorites Criminal Harassment Threats Stalking Sexual Assault Physical Assault  Must be reported to Police using Organizations’ Policies and Procedures.

Abuse of Power It is relatively safe to say that Abuse of power and authority frequently results in the victim having a hard time trusting or respecting future authority figures in their lives.

Why stay silent? Fear and/or shame may lead victims of bullying or harassment not reporting the incidents Referred to as the Code of Secrecy Frequently, adults incorrectly tell children to “work it out” To empower the victim to correct the aggressors behavior, intervention by a Leader may be required

Leaders’ Responsibilities Leaders must be aware of their role in cases of bullying and harassment Just by being present or “watching from the sidelines”, they condone the behavior Bystanders must tell the aggressor to stop the behavior

Actions Parties involved in cases of bullying or harassment: The victim The aggressor Bystanders To empower victims, Leaders should provide support and encourage them to: Avoid being alone with the aggressor Reach out for help Tell the aggressor to “Stop It”

Reporting and Your Rights Do NOT stay silent Ask for help Refer to organization’s Policies against misbehaviour Remember, you have: The right to participate in a safe and healthy environment The right to be treated with dignity by all involved The right to have qualified, sensitive leadership The right to an equal opportunity to strive for success

What is Respect in Sport Online program for Leaders Covers all aspects of emotional behaviours: Power and Leadership Bullying Harassment Abuse Neglect And how to recognize and deal with the issues

Really want to be part of the solutions? Respect in Sport Program: Kudos to your organization who offers you a tool to be better Leaders

Thank You