International attention to the abuse and exploitation of children and athletes in sports has never been greater, as more and more cases of child abuse in sports have come to light worldwide in recent years. Although there have been many positive developments in research, policy, and practice regarding protection against violence in sports in recent years, this movement is still relatively young.

Against this dynamic backdrop, this anthology offers a timely critical reflection on the field, its history, and current developments. The individual chapters contain theoretically grounded sociological analyses of abuse, violence, and exploitation of children in sports, critically examining the social and cultural context of sports in which these interpersonal harms occur. The anthology facilitates a deeper understanding of the problem of child abuse in sports and the various responses to it—both academic and political—and employs a critical sociological perspective to problematize the practice of children’s and youth sports.

The international authors identify key findings, as well as gaps and omissions in current research, thereby creating—in their individual contributions and collectively—an agenda for future research in this field. Child Abuse in Sport – Critical Perspectives serves as an indispensable resource for the sociology of sport, students, and researchers in this field, offering a current overview of a highly relevant and dynamically evolving area of study.

In recent years, violence and abuse against children, adolescents, and athletes in sports have received unprecedented attention. Nevertheless, Europe still lacks detailed cross-national scientific studies on the prevalence of interpersonal violence and abuse in sports. The project “Child Abuse in Sport – European Statistics” (CASES) aims to fill this gap. This report presents the initial key findings of the CASES study on the prevalence of child abuse—or interpersonal violence against children and adolescents—in Germany. The report is intended for anyone working in organized sports, sports administration and policy, and child protection. All six countries participating in the study (Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Romania, and Spain) have published a national report containing country-specific data based on the comprehensive report. Further detailed publications in academic formats will follow.

English-language report

Link to the report (DE)