Definition and Scope of Emotional Abuse in Sports
In sports, emotional abuse is characterized as a planned non-contact action by a person that leaves a youngster susceptible and may be detrimental to their mental health. This is abuse committed by someone with exceptional power, such as a coach. Problems with behavior, cognition, and emotion may result from this. It has an impact on psychological health, physical health, and social well-being.
Common Forms and Behaviors of Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse happens at all levels in the world of sports, from children and grassroots amateur sports groups to professional leagues, and is a little-known but frequent type of violence (Kerr, 2022). In sports and athletics, emotional abuse frequently takes the form of exclusion or single-out behavior, use of offensive nicknames, denial of attention, threats of negative consequences, and shame and mockery for poor performance. Coaches display the majority of the time abusive conduct, but it may also come from teammates or even the athlete’s parents.
Eight behaviors have been identified: scapegoating, screaming, rejection, isolation, threatening, and neglect. Examples of all of them can be seen in sports. Emotionally abusive conduct is frequently observed in sports from a young age and is commonly embraced in competition to develop resilience and character.
Psychological and Social Consequences for Athletes
Regardless of the cause, emotional abuse and bullying can have a lasting impact on athletes. Some athletes may abandon their team or even the sport as a result of such violent behavior, which can induce embarrassment and low self-esteem (Kerr, 2022). Power disparities between coaches and athletes may lead to toxic relationships in sports.
Prevention Strategies and Institutional Responsibility
Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of misuse in sports, which undermines the advantages of participating and has long-term harmful effects. No matter the gender of the victim or the offender, verbal and emotional abuse in sports must be recognized for what it is: aggressive and detrimental. Rituals of hazing are harmful, whether they are physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional. Establishing groups and institutions that will work on such topics is a viable answer to this challenge (Kerr, 2022). Additionally, coaches must be stripped of their enormous power to prevent violence.
Reference
Kerr, G. (2022). Gender-Based Violence in Children’s Sport (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis.