Athlete Narratives of Sexual Harassment and Abuse in the Field of Sport

in Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology

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Kristine Bisgaard University of Southern Denmark

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Jan Toftegaard Støckel University of Southern Denmark

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2018-0036
Keywords:
Bourdieu; grooming; narrative; sexual harassment; sport
In Print:
Volume 13: Issue 2
Page Range:
226–242
Restricted access

Based on interviews with two female athletes, this paper examines how sexual harassment and abuse occurs and why it is difficult to terminate and report. This paper presents narratives through a realist tale with the athletes’ own words to provide greater in-depth and detailed understanding of sexual harassment and abuse in the field of sport. Moreover, the narratives illustrate how grooming behavior may become engrained in the everyday cultural practices of sport. Following the narratives, an examination which integrates elements of Bourdieu’s theory of action in the understanding of a grooming process, sexual harassment and abuse is provided. The paper concludes that the coach’s high levels of capital and the doxa of the field effectively contribute to the building of trust and the silence of the athletes’ voice.

Bisgaard and Støckel are with the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.

Address author correspondence to Kristine Bisgaard at kristine_bisgaard@hotmail.com.
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