Are they banned?
I wonder that all the time. The last few months have been eye-opening, to say the least. I work in higher ed in a very liberal corner of the country and do a lot of work around Title IX, sexual violence prevention, etc. and I’m definitely starting to realize how much of a bubble I live in. The response to the Safe Sport policies, RG, JW, and now GM has really surprised me.
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There have been numerous other sports, which are more publicly high profile, like gymnastics and skating, that have had major issues, SS issued a report just on figure skating:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2019/03/04/figure-skating-culture-grooming-abuse-probe-safesport/3053528002/
And Olympian Ashley Wagner just spoke out last week on her experiences:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/01/sports/ashley-wagner-sexual-assault.html
The whole Safe Sport thing was created in the wake of the Nassar scandal with gymnastics.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/24/sports/larry-nassar-victims.html?module=inline
Swimming has also had their own issues, though I haven’t followed much of that.
https://www.ocregister.com/2018/02/16/investigation-usa-swimming-ignored-sexual-abuse-for-decades/
Congress wants MORE oversight by Safe Sport in the wake of what has happened in numerous sports:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/sports/usoc-abuse.html
I’d argue that equestrian suspensions seem like a Big Deal to those in the sport, but are a blip on the register of the bigger, higher-profile sports that draw a lot of eyes during the Olympics.
(Sorry, I can’t figure out how to make the links pretty anymore!)
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I just want to encourage the bravery of the survivor who had the courage to report.
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Jonathan worked for George at one time, I wonder if this could end up being worse for George. Jonathan is known for this around many communities…
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I am sorry to hear that he is “known for this” (ye gads not another one) 
although I suppose it’s better late than never for the rest of us to find out.
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S P O T O N!!
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del
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You think Mccarthyism exposed sex abuse with minors?
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There’s a new documentary out called At the Heart of Gold regarding the gymnastics scandal and all the mishaps that allowed Nassar to abuse girls (sometimes with their parents IN THE ROOM) for decades.
I’d be interested in the reports/suspensions vs. membership totals as a statistic.
There’s a lot of argument about the reporting and investigation process, but in reality only some 45% of reports are investigated (they won’t investigate anonymous reports for example, because likelihood of it being malicious)-we never heard about that 55%- and only some 3% of total reports result in an actual suspension.
Common arguments being thrown around right now:
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“It was so long ago!” - well yea but does that mean all the catholic boys, or victims of jackson/cosby/weinstein/nassar have any more or less valid protection?
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“Standards and times were different!” - GM is pretty open about his bi/homo-sexuality. This literally could have gotten him lynched by the mob due to the attitudes of the time, as even consensual sex was illegal in most states until 1979 onwards. I imagine this played a role in making reporting both impossible and dangerous. Sex with minors also has a LOOOONG history of being illegal and morally objectionable. Straw man here.
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“Why wasn’t it reported sooner to proper authorities?” - see above, see Larry Nassar… and also think about if you would report your boss or coach if you thought it would ruin a promising/hopeful career.
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“But he never abused me!” - and my uncle never abused me, but it turns out he abused two of my brothers and my mother’s brother and who knows how many others. Cognitive dissonance sucks, but sometimes that’s just reality that otherwise good people can do bad things to other people.
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“Constitutional rights!” - USEF is a private club and they are cleaning house to ensure higher standards of professional conduct within the industry.
5b. “Due Process! Innocent until proven guilty!” - again, private club, not looking at a prison sentence. Burden of proof is lower. Further, its SUPER common in industries with vulnerable people (hospitals, schools, churches, police etc) for someone accused of misconduct to be suspended until proven innocent in order to protect others. Can you imagine the sh*tstorm USEF would be in if someone else was molested while they took two years arbitrating with someone accused of pedophelia? Like… I would take them to the cleaners if my kid was victimized after someone had been openly accused of abusing kids.
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“Safe Sport is a witch hunt” - see my comments on the low % of investigations that move forward from initial report, and even lower rate of punishment (again for those at the back, like 3% of total reports have resulted in suspension). Also, the term witch hunt is a joke because witches don’t exist- sexual predators do.
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“They don’t release details. I need details to be convinced!” - sorry, but you’re not judge and jury and unless you plan on heading the USEF it’s really not your business. The privacy around names and allegations is meant to protect BOTH victim and accused. It is not our place to say “was that type of touching bad enough to bring down my idol”… part of Safe Sport’s charter is specifically to remove protections provided by notoriety in insular sport communities. Realistically, what would the average person do with these details anyway, other than call the victim ugly names? See Hilary Ridland’s post where she’s told to rot in hell for offering the details the public BEGGED FOR.
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“SS is ruining careers” - plenty of people have lucrative horse careers outside the bounds of USEF
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For some reason I received the email this morning Australian time, also.
Honestly I’m finding myself a little surprised by the reaction to this. I’m a nobody in this sport, I’ve competed at only a few rated shows in my lifetime, and even I have heard stories. Not just rumor mill stories but things directly from a person who trained with him for a while. Not just “innapropriate” conduct but also emotional abuse. That would have happened much, much more recently than “50 years”
But I don’t get the whole idea that something that would be a major offense now is somehow not important because it happened fifty years ago anyway. When we hear about old abuse allegations against priests, we’re shocked and appalled, and glad it came out and in full support of the accusers. But when it’s the “God” of our sport, oh no, it was just a little thing, and it happened SO LONG ago! Yes, I know people can change, but there still need to be some consequences.
I would very much be surprised if more people don’t make reports now that there’s publicity on this. Which is sad. I definitely loved watching the man ride and teach, and always wished I could do a clinic. He’s an absolutely brilliant horseman.
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This is an interesting read and from ten years ago:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/themanurepile39728/pm-from-coth-t7820.html
And what happens if it’s a false allegation?
Innocent until proven guilty.
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Outside of the allegations, a sick part about this whole thing is that ‘everyone heard the whispers’, many heard stories from first hand individuals who experienced abuse. Even those who didn’t get wind of the physical abuse were well aware of the emotional abuse he would frequently dole out.
And yet STILL everyone was falling over themselves to give the man money and fame.
If anyone wonders why SafeSport is necessary in our sport, here is your prime example. The industry is incapable of self regulation.
I think a few more empires are due to crumble before the waters will begin to calm. I hope the rest of these wretched individuals are shaking in their boots, and get what’s coming to them.
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In case more allegations come out, gay and pedophilia are different - so just because GM preferred adult males, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t target both genders in younger victims - studies of pedophiles and sex crimes show this correlation. So his homosexuality is not an argument against the validity of female victims’ potential claims. And I don’t care at all how long ago something happened. The only sympathy I can muster for allegations of sex wtih minors are cases where the minor is 17 and the offender 18, and the parents of the 17 year old pursue remedy… but pedophiles are monsters, IMO, and while innocent until proven guilty is true, if there are valid accusations to investigate, I believe they must remove the accused from contact with minors until it is known they are safe.
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You dont understand do you. Safe sport only does permanent ineligible once it has established the report is valid enough to stand up to scrutiny.
My praise for the courage of a survivor is even more intense in view of your attitude. After William’s and Gage, they know they are going to be attacked and victim blamed. Esp when the abuser is someone with the status of GM makes it much more courageous.
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It has hit National News -Google News-https://www.si.com/olympics/2019/08/05/george-morris-equestrian-coach-ban-sexual-misconduct-allegations
Up til now, I’ve always assumed his relationships were carried on with consenting adults.
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Thank you! I can understand how upset people are, especially if they’ve always viewed GM as their hero. But this victim blaming is appalling. I’m so ashamed of how quickly people will turn on someone who likely had no recourse at the time it happened and has just now been able to feel safe coming forward.
To anyone asking (rather blaming) the victim(s) for not coming forward earlier… I was assaulted by a stable hand - a person without an ounce of the power GM has - and I wasn’t able to report it for fear of repercussions. That man took away my safe place - I fled the barn unable to look at him or face anyone in the barn.
That assault paralyzed me - I can’t imagine I would have been brave enough to report the veritable god of horses.
If the equestrian community could stop victim blaming and reassess our priorities that would be great.
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