Women irrespective of profession are subjected to face sexual harassment and there’s hardly any field left where they are not exploited.
Recently, a similar case has come up which postulates the abuse of women in sports.
The International Olympic Committee Medical Commission Experts Panel observed,
Sexual harassment and abuse occur worldwide. In sport, they give rise to suffering for athletes and others . . . No sport is immune to these problems which occur at every performance level.
Abuse of women in sports is common because nearly all the authoritative positions have been occupied by male figures. Coaches, managers, promoters and organizers are usually men and some of them often use their authority to exploit women.
Often sexual harassment and abuse becomes a barrier in the career of budding sports women.
While some leave sport completely, others continue to face harassment and abuse from coaches, managers and other athletes because of the desire to win awards or simply because of fear.
Sexual harassment can be open or subtle but its major characteristic is that it involves any form of sexual elements that are unwelcome. These can be physical or verbal.
The consequences of abuse are also disastrous to the sufferer as she may develop low self-esteem, emotional imbalance, may perform badly or completely hate the sport.
Sexual harassment in sport, if not checked, persists and worsens with time.
Often clubs and organizations are responsible because they fail to shield athletes and other female officials from stalking. It is their role and accountability to ensure that the sporting environment is free from any form of sexual harassment.
