How Sports Organizations Should Handle Sexual Abuse Reports

Why Every Step Matters

When someone reports sexual abuse in a sports setting, how the organization responds can either support healing or cause deeper harm. These moments aren’t just about policy. They’re about people. Athletes of all ages deserve to be heard, believed, and protected.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our sports sex abuse lawyers have worked with survivors across New York whose experiences were made worse by the way teams, leagues, or schools handled their reports. Sometimes, it’s slow responses. Sometimes, it’s outright silence. But the result is the same: survivors feel abandoned.

Handling abuse reports the right way isn’t optional. It’s a responsibility. And it starts the moment someone speaks up.

Step 1: Take Every Report Seriously

No matter how small or uncertain the report may sound, it deserves immediate attention. Survivors often come forward in quiet, cautious ways. They may test the waters with vague language. That’s not a lack of truth, it’s a sign of trauma.

Organizations should:

• Train staff to recognize signs of abuse disclosure
• Avoid dismissive phrases like “That’s just how they coach”
• Make sure athletes can report without fear of punishment

Creating a safe reporting culture means believing people the first time, and showing them that their safety matters more than the team’s reputation.

Step 2: Act Quickly and Without Bias

Once a report is made, delay can do real damage. So can favoritism. It doesn’t matter if the accused coach “has been with the program forever” or “wins championships.” Protecting the athlete must come first.

Acting responsibly means:

• Immediately separating the accused from athletes (without assuming guilt)
• Notifying the proper authorities
• Documenting everything in writing
• Referring the survivor to support services

Organizations don’t need all the answers on day one. But they do need to act.

Step 3: Notify the Appropriate Agencies

Abuse reports shouldn’t stay inside the organization. If a child or teenager is involved, mandatory reporting laws apply. That means alerting government agencies, no exceptions.

In New York, the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment handles these reports. Organizations must:

• Call the register if abuse of a minor is suspected
• Cooperate fully with investigators
• Avoid trying to “handle things internally”

For adult survivors, a report to law enforcement may also be appropriate. The decision to involve the police can be made in consultation with the survivor when possible.

Step 4: Protect the Survivor’s Privacy

Speaking up is hard enough without worrying about gossip, retaliation, or public exposure. Organizations must protect the identity and dignity of anyone reporting abuse.

This includes:

• Keeping reports confidential within the need-to-know team
• Avoiding speculation or staff-wide announcements
• Refraining from pressuring the survivor to go public

Privacy doesn’t mean secrecy. Survivors deserve to control how, when, and whether their story is shared.

Step 5: Suspend the Accused During Investigation

This isn’t about declaring someone guilty. It’s about creating space for truth to come forward safely.

While investigations are ongoing, the accused coach or staff member should be removed from duties involving athletes. This sends a clear message that the organization takes safety seriously, and gives others space to speak up if they were also harmed.

Even if local law enforcement isn’t pressing charges right away, the organization still has a duty to act with caution and integrity.

Step 6: Offer Immediate and Ongoing Support

After making a report, survivors often feel exposed, uncertain, or alone. How the organization shows up during this time matters.

Helpful steps:

• Offer counseling or connect them with mental health resources
• Assign a trained point person to stay in contact
• Check in without pressuring for details

In New York, the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence also offers training and support services for youth-focused organizations dealing with abuse disclosures.

Survivors may not want help right away, but knowing it’s available makes a difference.

Step 7: Avoid Victim-Blaming Language

Sometimes harm doesn’t come from what’s done, but from what’s said. Survivors may hear things like:

• “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
• “Are you sure that’s what happened?”
• “It doesn’t sound like something they would do.”

These responses can cause lasting damage. They silence survivors and protect abusers. Every staff member should be trained in trauma-informed communication so they can respond with empathy, not skepticism.

The right words: “Thank you for telling us. We take this seriously. We’ll do everything we can to support you.”

Step 8: Review and Strengthen Internal Policies

After a report, it’s not enough to handle just that one case. Organizations must ask the harder question: “How did this happen here?”

That means looking at:

• Hiring and screening processes
• Supervision during practices and travel
• Communication policies between staff and athletes
• Whether abuse prevention training is truly effective

Bring in outside experts if needed. Survivors often come forward not just to report one person, but to spark change.

Step 9: Support a Culture of Prevention and Accountability

Prevention is not a one-time training. It’s a mindset. A culture. Athletes should know that their voices matter. Staff should know what lines cannot be crossed. And leadership should be clear that winning never comes before safety.

Ongoing accountability might include:

• Annual training refreshers
• Athlete and parent feedback sessions
• Anonymous reporting options
• Independent reviews of abuse policies

It’s not just about preventing future harm. It’s about earning back trust, one clear action at a time.

Survivors Deserve Better, And So Do the Athletes Who Come After Them

Every time a sports organization listens, acts quickly, and supports a survivor, it changes the culture. It replaces fear with trust. Silence with support. Inaction with change.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we’ve seen what happens when organizations get it wrong. But we’ve also seen what’s possible when they commit to doing better. Survivors deserve more than apologies. They deserve action.

If your organization is facing a report, or you’re a survivor wondering what should have happened, we’re here to help you find the next right step.