SafeSport

Everyone has the right to be treated with safety and respect – and the responsibility to act safely and respectfully towards others. Irene van der Zande – Founder and Executive Director of KidPower

Report Abuse

Please note that there are a number of options and requirements to report abuse. Report to law enforcement immediately if you are aware of abuse. If abuse includes sexual misconduct report to both law enforcement and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

USOC Launches SafeSport Helpline

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is excited to announce it launched a 24-hour victim services helpline.

The helpline offers confidential support services and is operated in partnership with RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.

U.S. Center for SafeSport

This link will take you to an external website.

SafeSport Helpline Access
Online: safesporthelpline.org
Phone: 866-200-0796

October is Bulling Awareness Month

KIDPOWER.ORG

Take charge of your safety

Arizona Region SafeSport Program

The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, North American Futsal Federation is committed to creating a safe and positive environment for its participants’ physical, emotional and social development and ensuring it promotes an environment free from abuse and misconduct. As part of this program, the above have implemented policies intended to reduce, monitor and govern the areas where potential abuse and misconduct might occur.

It is understood that the discussion of this subject matter with minor participants can vary greatly depending on the age of the child. Please age appropriately discuss each of these items with your child who is applying for membership.

For better understanding of abuse and misconduct in sport, the following definitions are being used:

Bulling, Threats, Harassment

Bullying is the use of coercion to obtain control over another person or to be habitually cruel to another person. Bullying involves an intentional, persistent or repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish or isolate another person. Bullying can occur through written, verbal or electronically transmitted expression or by means of a physical act or gesture. Bullying behavior is prohibited in any manner in connection with any North American Futsal Federation sanctioned activity or event.

Hazing

Hazing includes any conduct which is intimidating, humiliating, offensive or physically harmful. The hazing conduct is typically an activity that serves as a condition for joining a group or being socially accepted by a group’s members. Activities that fit the definition of hazing are considered to be hazing regardless of a person’s willingness to cooperate or participate. Hazing does not include group or team activities that are meant to establish normative team behaviors or promote team cohesion so long as such activities do not have reasonable potential to cause emotional or physical distress to any participant.

Harassment, Including Sexual

Harassment in sport includes any pattern of physical and/or non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation or annoyance; offend or degrade; create a hostile environment; or reflect discriminatory bias in an attempt to establish dominance, superiority or power over an individual participant or group based on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual expression or mental or physical disability.

Sexual Harassment is a form of harassment. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature may constitute sexual harassment, even if the harasser and the participant being harassed are the same sex and whether or not the participant resists or submits to the harasser. Any conduct of a sexual nature directed by a minor toward an adult or by an adult to a minor is presumed to be unwelcomed and shall constitute sexual harassment.

Emotional Misconduct

Emotional misconduct involves a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that has the potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to a participant. These behaviors may include verbal acts, physical acts or acts that deny attention or support.

Examples of emotional misconduct, without limitation include: a pattern of verbal behaviors that attack a participant (e.g. calling them worthless, fat or disgusting); repeatedly and excessively yelling at a participant(s) in a manner that serves no productive motivational purpose; by physically aggressive behavior (e.g. throwing sport equipment, water bottles or chairs; punching objects).

Physical Misconduct

Physical misconduct means physical contact with a participant that intentionally causes or has the potential to cause the participant to sustain bodily harm or personal injury. Physical misconduct also includes a physical contact with a participant that intentionally creates a threat of immediate bodily harm or personal injury. Physical misconduct may also include intentionally hitting or threatening to hit an athlete with objects or sports equipment. In addition, physical misconduct also includes providing alcohol to a participant underage of consent and the providing of illegal drugs or non-prescribed medications to any participant.

Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct of a minor occurs when an adult employee, volunteer, independent contractor, support staff or other participant (hereafter known as “the adult”) touches a minor for the purpose of causing the sexual arousal or gratification of either the minor or “the adult”, if the touching occurs at the request or with the consent of “the adult”.

Sexual misconduct may also occur between adults or to an adult. Sexual misconduct includes sexual interactions that are nonconsensual or accomplished by force or threat of force, or coerced or manipulated, regardless of the age of the participant.

Neither consent of the minor to the sexual contact, mistake as to the age of the participant or the fact that the sexual contact did not take place at a futsal function are defenses to a complaint of sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct may also include non-touching offenses including but not limited to: sexually harassing behaviors; an adult discussing his/her sex life with a minor; an adult asking a minor about his/her sex life; an adult requesting or sending nude or partial dress photo to a minor; exposing minors to pornographic material, sending minors sexually explicit electronic messages or photo (e.g. “sexting”); deliberately exposing a minor to sexual acts; or deliberately exposing a minor to inappropriate nudity.

Reporting Abuse

All North American Futsal Federation member programs are required to have a SafeSport contact person identified in their club. Depending on the actual or perceived violation of SafeSport policies contact the person you would feel most comfortable reporting the violation to. In all cases involving suspicions of child physical or sexual misconduct the report will also involve law enforcement. Out of respect for the importance of this issue and to encourage honest and effective reporting, knowingly making a false or vindictive report will not be tolerated and may be a violation of the North American Futsal Federation’s Code of Conduct.