“They Think It’s All Over”: A Campaign to End Abuse Inside and Outside of Sports
The Paralympics will feature 23 sports, with a total of 549 events, 169 delegations, and 4,400 athletes. The athletes are classified based on their disabilities to ensure fair competition. This classification system doesn’t exist in the Olympics, making it difficult for Paralympians to compete directly. Paralympians often face additional challenges in accessing high-performance training facilities and resources compared to their Olympic counterparts. But this isn’t just about a single sport, it is about all sports. Each one has potential links to sexual violence and domestic abuse, affecting children and adults of any gender.
Our campaign, “They Think It’s All Over,” is here to highlight the dark corners of sports where abuse is hidden. We believe that more research needs to be conducted into the relationship between sexual violence, domestic abuse, and sports. We need to understand the full scope of the problem to tackle it effectively.
We launched this campaign at the end of the Euros 2024 to start conversations around abuse in sport and to begin highlighting the issues within sport where abuse could hide.
In just over a month, we have had groundbreaking conversations with amazing organisations working in sport around safeguarding. Many charities and organisations have got involved, sharing our campaign and calling for real change within sport.
There are 151,000 sports clubs in the UK, from professional leagues to grassroots clubs, and we are at the starting point to create better safeguarding measures to protect players, fan bases, supporters, followers, friends, and families. But this is only the beginning; we have a lot more work to do, and you can help by getting involved.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Spread the Word
Share our campaign with your friends, family, and local sports clubs to advocate for safe environments that stand against abuse and enable people to disclose any abuse in a safe and inclusive environment using the hashtag #TheyThinkItsAllOver.
Support the Research
We’re advocating for more research into the relationship between sexual violence, domestic abuse, and sports.
Promote Safe Sports
Advocate for better safeguarding measures in your local sports clubs, from professional leagues to grassroots clubs.
Stay Informed
Over the course of our campaign, we’ll be sharing statistics and stories from a range of sports.
No one should fear abuse when they step onto the pitch, the court, or the field. We want to show the world that abuse in and outside of sports is a widespread problem that needs urgent attention as part of a societal change. Join us, because sports shouldn’t come with abuse.
Follow us to stay updated and learn more about the extent of the problem:
- Facebook: @FirstLightSW
- Twitter: @FirstLightSW
- LinkedIn: @First Light Southwest
- Instagram: @FirstLight.SW
Remember, change starts with you.