Sexual Harassment and Sexual Abuse in Sport

Abstract

‘Monsters don’t get near to children — nice men do’. This quotation conies from a television interview in 1993 with Ray Wyre, Director of the Gracewell Clinic for the rehabilitation of sex offenders. It sums up neatly the myth surrounding sexual harassment and abuse, that such behaviours are the result of stranger danger when, in reality, just the opposite is the case. It also reminds us that myths or expectations can mislead or distract us and that research about what we think we know is just as important as research about what we think we don’t know. This chapter draws on my own experiences of carrying out preliminary research into sexual harassment and abuse by sports coaches: in particular, it explores the methodological and ethical difficulties faced when researching such sensitive and emotive topics. My intention is to challenge some of the traditional approaches to research and to demonstrate that there is a rich vein of material to be tapped by those who are brave enough to ‘enter the field’ in this way (Whyte 1984). Most importantly, the chapter argues that, as feminists, we should be willing to work in difficult areas of research, to ask difficult questions and to voice unpopular messages if we wish to make a positive contribution to the betterment of women’s experiences of sport and physical activity. Throughout this chapter, following the advice of Kirby and McKenna (1989), I refer to those who assisted in interviews as participants and not as subjects or interviewees since I have tried to recognise the shared process of the research.