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What is Child Abuse?
"Child abuse is a term used to describe ways in which children or young people are harmed, usually by adults and increasingly by peers. Often these are people they know and trust. It refers to the damage done to a child's or young person's physical, mental or emotional health. Children or young people can be abused within or outside their family, at school and within the football environment. Abusive situations arise when adults or peers misuse their power over children or young people."
There are five main forms of abuse:
Physical, Neglect, Sexual Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Bullying.
The Handbook describes what these types of abuse can mean in the football environment:
Physical:
"..... the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child's or young person's immature or growing body, (eg overtraining) and also when coaches encourage children/young people to take performance enhancing drugs and alcohol."
Neglect:
"..... if a teacher, coach or manager fails to ensure children or young people are safe, or exposes them to undue extremes of weather or risk of injury, eg through unsafe equipment."
Sexual abuse:
".... when inappropriate physical contact takes place eg through inappropriate supporting, treatment or touching of children or young people."
Emotional abuse:
".... might include situations where parents or coaches subject children or young people to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations or to attain standards they are clearly not able to reach."
Bullying:
".... three main types - physical, verbal, emotional. They include:
· deliberate hostility and aggression towards to a victim
· a victim who is weaker and less powerful than the bully or bullies
· an outcome which is always painful and distressing for the victim
· other forms of violence
· sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing
· tormenting, ridiculing, humiliation
· racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
· unwanted physical contact or abusive or offensive comments of a sexual nature
Emotional and verbal bullying is more common in football than physical violence; it can also be difficult to cope with or prove.
Within schools, the single most important factor in the prevention of bullying is to have a clear policy to which staff, pupils and parents are committed. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that football clubs develop their own Anti-Bullying Policy to which club members, coaching staff, players and parents all subscribe."
The Handbook continues to give guidance on how this can be achieved.
The section that refers to referees states:
"Referees have an obligation towards the game to support the introduction and implementation of the FA Child Protection Policy.
Referees must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person, player and non-player alike, treating everyone equally within the context of the game. In particular, to be aware of the special needs of young people, their wellbeing, including difficulties or possible abuse experienced from within the game or from other sources.
The referee has a duty to ensure that every child and young person involved in the game of football is able to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from abuse."
Peter Watson
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