Sports complaints are managed on behalf of the sports organization by third-parties, which are represented by lawyers and risk managers.  Legal jargon and principles of law are not easy to comprehend or interpret, especially when trauma is involved. A victim’s advocate or advisor is not assigned during the complaints process, nor are they provided with direct legal advice or policy interpretation; meaning that Complainants are not placed on equal footing. This can be daunting, and trauma can greatly impact the Complainant’s response in such situations.

The scope of our services includes the review of policies and codes of conduct, along with the steps of the complaints process for the organization to better help Complainants in their decisions. This process may also involve supporting Complainants through the process of reporting to police, if a crime is alleged to have occurred. All options will be reviewed together in an informed manner.

Intermediary

Being safe is a human right.

A common theme for sports complaints is the fear of retribution or the repercussions and ramifications a complaint may have that influence the Complainant’s participation in the process. Acting as an intermediary can take many forms. The first is that it is critical that safeguarding steps are assessed and called attention to as soon as practically possible, and that the harm is immediately confined. This may be, for example: immediate rehousing from one billet home to another; notifying law enforcement if a threat of violence is made; discussions with the Complainant’s parents or family members; notifying owners, coaches or staff (if appropriate).  We can be engaged in this process and act as the point of contact, only with the Complainant’s explicit direction and consent.
The second is to facilitate communication between the Complainant and the third-party or sport organization.  For those impacted by trauma, direct contact and communication can be triggering and add to the pressures of the situation.  Where trauma is not present, but the complaint represents a power imbalance between the parties, it is important to ensure that there is no position of influence or authority that seeks to negatively impact the Complainant. We will do whatever we can to assist in ensuring the Complainant’s best interests and safety are acted upon.

Advocacy

On-going advocacy for the rights of victims.

We engage in many areas of advocacy work for the rights of victims. Our current focus is in the support for the calls for a national inquiry into the toxic culture of abuse and maltreatment in sport, at all levels.
Our advocacy work provides access to lawyers, litigators, advocacy groups, victim’s support services, therapists in specialized areas and more.  We can guide you to the best people to help!

 

Education

Cost: travel expenses to be reimbursed by the organization

Education services are catered to the age group and demographic with a varying degree of adaptation. If there are specific areas that need to be addressed or presented due to a particular incident or need of the group, please disclose ahead of time.

These sessions are interactive and engaging, and care is taken to ensure that difficult subject matters are approached delicately. A combination of videos, explanations, real life stories and engaged learning are used. As part of the process, we will often use an anonymous questionnaire that is distributed to the group ahead of time to assess what they know and what areas they would like to understand – the questions are there to engage and ensure the group is receiving answers to the burning questions they have.

Specific topic areas include:

Abuse and Maltreatment in Sport

Consent

Impacts of Trauma

Whether it is redrafting or starting from scratch, policies that protect sport participants and staff can be developed, in keeping with the requirements or national or provincial sport organizations. These policies will be drafted in a manner that is digestible to the age group they are intended for.

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