The end of September is here. Quick, someone wake up Green Day!
Sorry, that was so cheesy, but I would have kicked myself for not using that opportunity. Ok, moving on…
“ September’s article is going to be a slightly different one to normal. If you are a victim or survivor of abuse, this article may be triggering to you, however we will explore the correct way of reporting such incidents, and some organisations that may be able to support you in dealing with the impact of such incidents.“
Initially my inspiration for this post was Athlete A, the Netflix documentary (if you’re aged 13 or under, make sure to have parental guidance if you choose to watch it). It’s a documentary that explores the hidden abuse within the USA Gymnastics organisation. Now I know this is a cheerleading blog, but I’m also aware that many cheerleading athletes were once gymnasts (myself included). And I also know gymnastics isn’t the only sport with its faults.
With that being said, over the course of the past week, another Netflix docuseries has come under fire due to a certain cast member’s criminal activity. This article is a little more serious than I typically like to write, but I feel it’s really important to share this information, and inform as many people as I can on your rights when experiencing child protection issues, and how to prevent them from happening to anyone else. Hopefully then, it doesn’t get to the stage where enquires are held due to the negligence of an entire Governing Body, as has happened in USA Gymnastics and British Gymnastics.
We’re still talking about feeling upside down, but this time some of the reasons that may trigger us feeling upside down, and how we can go about informing the correct people and getting the right support.
We’re cheerleaders. We take the time out of our busy schedules to put our hearts and souls, and hard-earned cash, towards achieving our goals in training and competitions. We create friendships, bonds and incredible memories during these times. We participate in cheerleading because we enjoy it, we love it, and can’t live without it. We have the right to feel safe in that environment.
Here in the UK, our coaches, choreographers and other professionals within our programmes should be DBS checked (previously CRB). A DBS essentially checks whether the person is suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults based on their previous criminal convictions. If you have been charged or convicted of a crime relating to child protection, it will flag up on your DBS and you should not be allowed to work in a position of trust with children, young people or vulnerable adults.
I work in child protection in the UK, so I know the laws, regulations and process of reporting here in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I can’t speak on behalf of the laws and regulations within America, as to be honest I’m quite confused as to how certain individuals are still allowed to be in positions of trust across the pond, but I digress!
Competitive sport is tough, there’s no two ways about it, it’s not for everyone. I have had tough coaches, and I’m very grateful for how they were able to push me to be the best possible athlete. However, there is a HUGE difference between a “tough love” approach, and abuse. This is what I want everyone to understand. Tough love is where the coach has your best interests in mind, mentally and physically.
Abuse is where the perpetrator has their own agenda and does not care for their victim’s mental or physical wellbeing.
The 4 most common types of abuse include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Bullying is also a form of abuse, and we are now seeing an increasing amount of online abuse. If you wish, you can find out more information about each type of abuse here:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/
Abuse can happen to anyone at any time. The most important thing to remember is that it is not your fault, they were in the wrong, and you will be believed. As I mentioned earlier, you have the right to feel safe at the cheer gym, at competitions, at school, college, home, the internet, etc. The biggest step is telling somebody. Sometimes this can be extremely difficult. It’s an incredibly brave thing to do to tell somebody so give yourself credit for that. Remember that by telling someone, you’re starting the ball rolling to ensure this person will not abuse you or anyone else again.
First things first, who do you tell? If you’re an All Star cheerleader and the abuse is happening at your programme, tell your parent/carer and/or your programmes child protection officer (sometimes called welfare or safeguarding). Each programme should have someone with this role, but if you’re a small gym, your head coach may be the person to tell. Every gym has their own policies and procedures, so I can’t say for sure what will happen next. Most likely you’ll be invited to a meeting to talk about what has happened. Your programme should also inform Sport Cheer England/Wales/Scotland and statutory agencies if necessary.
If you cheer at school, college, or university and have an issue with your cheerleading coach, you should tell your teacher or Student’s Union. A similar process to the above will also happen.
If you don’t feel like the appropriate action has been taken, take a look at Sport Cheer England’s safeguarding page and consider having a chat with them:
https://sportcheerengland.org/policies/safeguarding
Alternatively, you can call the NSPCC Helpline, for free, to discuss what’s happened and talk through your options. You can call up anonymously if you prefer, and the practitioners will let you know whether it’s something that needs to be reported, and to who. Sometimes they may be able to report it on your behalf. Their details will feature towards the end of this article.
In terms of online safety and sending images, check out Childline’s webpage which offers some fantastic advice and information:
https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/sexting/
When someone we thought so highly of is alleged to have committed a crime such as child abuse, it’s understandable to feel conflicted. Let me ask you, have you ever met someone before and for an unknown reason you instantly disliked them? Maybe it was the way they looked at you, or something they were wearing, you just dismissed them instantly. After a while of getting to know them, you realise you completely misjudged this person and you’re now best friends. This can work both ways. We know that what we see online, on social media and in reality shows is not the full picture. Remember that.
When people are feeling conflicted about a perpetrator of child abuse, I often hear the same phrases, “but what about their reputation”, “it’ll ruin their career”, “they have a family”, “but they’re such a loving person”. Of course, everyone has their good and bad features, but my response is simple, they ruined their own reputation the minute they broke the law and hurt someone.
I hope throughout this article you have learned something about what to do if you or someone you know is or has been abused. If in doubt, contact the NSPCC Helpline to talk through your concerns, whether they are currently ongoing or happened in the past.
As promised, here are a number of relevant organisations that have a wealth of knowledge relating to child abuse and abuse of power.
NSPCC Helpline
You can contact the Helpline to talk through your concerns, ask for advice and to report incidents of abuse.
Call: 0808 800 500
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Submit an online form: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/report/report-abuse-online/
Childline
A free counselling service for young people aged 19 years and younger. They have a helpline, online chat feature and a ton of info on their webpage.
Call: 0800 11 11
NAPAC
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood. An amazing organisation with a wealth of information on their website relating to reporting non-recent abuse, and they also have a support line.
Call: 0808 801 0331
Email: support@napac.org.uk
Shout
A 24/7 free text service for all ages, for when you’re struggling to cope
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