Interpersonal violence in sport is a spectrum of behaviors that can deeply affect an athlete’s wellbeing, trust, and safety—both in the short and long term. It includes:

• Physical violence: hitting, pushing, forced training or punishments that exceed the limits of physical integrity.
• Psychological violence: humiliation, threats, manipulation, gaslighting, or emotional neglect—often under the guise of “toughening up.”
• Sexualized violence: any unwanted sexualized behavior—verbal, non-verbal, or physical—that is based on an abuse of power or trust and is experienced as unwanted, inappropriate, or coercive.
• Neglect: failing to meet basic psychological, emotional, or physical needs—such as ignoring injuries, dismissing distress, or deprioritizing athlete wellbeing.

These behaviors are not always loud. Often, they unfold quietly—over time, in private chats, closed doors, or within relational dynamics where the athlete is dependent on the very person who violates their trust.

And while sexualized violence often gets media attention only in its most extreme forms, it exists on a continuum—from inappropriate comments and grooming to coercion and assault. The harm is not only in the act—but in the culture of silence, fear, and denial that often surrounds it.

One of the most comprehensive and revealing studies to date on sexual violence in sport comes from ​Jeannine Ohlert and colleagues (2020)​, who surveyed over 1,500 elite athletes in Germany. Their goal was to better understand not only the prevalence of sexual violence within sport, but also how it compares to experiences outside the sport context—an approach that recognizes athletes as whole people whose vulnerabilities cannot be neatly confined to locker rooms or training halls.

The results are both disturbing and illuminating. More than half of all respondents—54.2%—reported experiencing sexual violence at some point in their lives. This means that every second athlete you speak to may already carry this kind of experience. Please think about this number for a moment!

Of these, 37.2% had been affected within the context of organized sport, while an even greater number, 43.4%, reported incidents outside of it. Perhaps most telling, nearly half of the affected athletes—48%—had experienced sexual violence in both domains, underscoring how deeply entangled these violations are with broader patterns of vulnerability across an athlete’s life.

Crucially, the severity of these incidents varied, with 11.3% of athletes reporting severe forms of sexual violence in sport, such as coercion or forced sexual acts. Outside of sport, the rate of severe violence climbed to 17%. The overlap between contexts was especially high in these more extreme cases—nearly two-thirds of those who experienced severe violence in sport had also experienced it elsewhere.

Gender differences were also striking. Female athletes reported significantly higher prevalence rates across all levels of severity. In total, 66.3% of women had experienced at least one form of sexual violence, compared to 40.9% of men. When it came to severe incidents, the gap widened even further: nearly one in three female athletes reported experiencing severe sexual violence over the course of their lives.

What makes this study particularly important for our field is not only the scale of its findings, but the shift in perspective it invites. Rather than viewing sport merely as a context that enables abuse, Ohlert et al. encourage us to look at athletes themselves—as individuals who may already carry histories of violence, and who may find that certain structures in sport exacerbate, rather than buffer, their vulnerability. The study also highlights the urgent need for sport environments to be more than just performance-centered—they must be safe, responsive, and capable of offering support that goes beyond the boundaries of the playing field.

For us as sport psychology professionals, the implications are clear. We are in a unique position to notice when something is wrong, to offer a safe and non-judgmental space, and to act—ethically, compassionately, and with competence—when someone discloses harm. Ohlert et al.’s findings are a wake-up call to take this role seriously and to prepare ourselves accordingly.

Recent research reinforces just how urgent and widespread this issue remains. In their 2024 article, ​Dallam et al.​examined interpersonal violence among elite U.S. athletes, revealing alarmingly high prevalence rates—and strong associations with mental health struggles such as PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation. Their findings underscore what many of us already sense: that violence in sport is not rare, and its psychological impact is deep.

The data presented by Ohlert et al. (2020) or Dallam et al. (2024) align with the broader international consensus that harassment and abuse in sport are not just ethical concerns—they are urgent health issues.

Even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made it clear: harassment and abuse in sport are not just ethical issues—they are threats to athletes’ health, safety, and human rights. The IOC stresses in their ​Consensus Statement​that no sport, performance level, or country is immune, and that abuse often hides in relationships marked by power and dependence—such as coach-athlete dynamics. That’s why prevention must go beyond good intentions. It requires systematic, trauma-informed efforts, clear policies, and shared responsibility across all roles.

For us as sport psychology professionals, this means being trained, being ready, and being part of the solution as active agents in athlete protection. It means understanding how power operates in sport, recognizing signs that something may be wrong, and being prepared to act—confidently, ethically, and compassionately—when someone entrusts us with their story.

How confident do you feel in your ability to recognize the signs, respond appropriately, and refer effectively if someone disclosed abuse?

And looking at the environments you work in: are they truly safe spaces? And for whom? This isn’t about blame. It’s about readiness.

And readiness doesn’t come from intention alone—it requires support, dialogue, and ongoing learning.

For sport psychology professionals looking to strengthen their role in prevention and support, several key resources offer research, tools, and training. ​Safe Sport International​ provides education and policy guidance rooted in trauma-informed care, while the ​Voices for Truth and Dignity​ project gathers survivor perspectives and develops strategies to tackle abuse across European sport systems. These platforms help professionals move from awareness to meaningful action.

That’s also why we’re hosting a special intensive VSP+ workshop (8 CEUs) with Dr. Jeannine Ohlert on June 30th, 2025, focused on safeguarding, prevention, and the psychological responsibilities we carry as professionals in the face of interpersonal and sexualized violence in sport. Participation is limited to 20 seats to allow for open dialogue and in-depth reflection. ​If you’d like to receive early details about this session, you can simply click here​, and we’ll send you more information about the workshop soon.

Because change doesn’t start with policy.

It starts with people who are willing to ask hard questions—and stay in the room for the answers.