People Attempting to Undermine Safe Sport

[541hunter]

This article has some really interesting nuggets…

Nearly half of athletes were aware of coaches developing sexual relationships with athletes; more than 90% of those who experienced unwanted sexual harassment or unwanted sexual contact did not submit a formal report; more than half of athlete participants who indicated having unwanted sexual experiences said that some or all of the experiences happened before they were 18; and 18% of individuals who had unwanted sexual experiences also indicated that they were retaliated against.

Unclear if those stats are for equestrian sports specifically or all the sports under the Center’s jurisdiction.

[SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese Colón] also noted the level of engagement with SafeSport from the equestrian community: “When we conducted an athlete climate and culture survey, we reached out to every organization within Olympic and Paralympic movements. Can you guess which sport gave us the most responses? Yours. Your community helped us understand what the experiences are in sport.” […]
“Again, half the people in that culture climate survey were from [the equestrian] community,” she continued. “We’re having this conversation; we’re having the dialog that is necessary. If I had to rank sports as far as effort level being put in for culture change as a top priority, I’d put equestrian high on the list.”

This is really interesting to me. I have to wonder if the pushback against SafeSport and the hullabaloo around MAAP in particular is a big part of the reason we as a sport were so active in the survey (HALF the responses??? For a relatively small sport? that’s insane). It is heartening that she notices the effort being put in to change the culture in our sport. Anecdotally, I feel the shift. But I also deleted my Facebook account about 2 years ago so that might be part of it!

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

@541hunter

[SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese Colón] also noted the level of engagement with SafeSport from the equestrian community: “When we conducted an athlete climate and culture survey, we reached out to every organization within Olympic and Paralympic movements. Can you guess which sport gave us the most responses? Yours. Your community helped us understand what the experiences are in sport.” […]
“Again, half the people in that culture climate survey were from [the equestrian] community,” she continued. “We’re having this conversation; we’re having the dialog that is necessary. If I had to rank sports as far as effort level being put in for culture change as a top priority, I’d put equestrian high on the list.”

This is really interesting to me. I have to wonder if the pushback against SafeSport and the hullabaloo around MAAP in particular is a big part of the reason we as a sport were so active in the survey (HALF the responses??? For a relatively small sport? that’s insane). It is heartening that she notices the effort being put in to change the culture in our sport. Anecdotally, I feel the shift. But I also deleted my Facebook account about 2 years ago so that might be part of it!

I find this interesting and surprising as well.

[MHM]

@541hunter

This is really interesting to me. I have to wonder if the pushback against SafeSport and the hullabaloo around MAAP in particular is a big part of the reason we as a sport were so active in the survey (HALF the responses??? For a relatively small sport? that’s insane).

I also wonder if other sports were affected as much by the changes with the MAAP guidelines.

I can think of plenty of kids in the past who basically lived with their trainers on the road for parts of the horse show season for years. Not in an inappropriate way, just as a matter of convenience so the kids could go to shows when their parents were not able to attend all the time.

I don’t know if that was as common in other sports, so maybe it did not affect their routines as much.

[Mardi1]

Is that your answer to my question ?

[AmmyHunter]

@Railbird

Did COTH not report on Sam berry? I find that interesting given they’ve mentioned nearly everyone else receiving similar sanctions, I thought? Don’t know the guy, just saw the name.

I have not seen this one reported. Maybe they will pick it up now that he apparently has been arrested in Kentucky.

[LexInVA]

Cecil Clay Marshall, of EverMoore Farm in Bristol TN has been added to the Safesport list for allegations of misconduct. He is a sex offender with a misdemeanor sexual battery charge from the early 2000’s, so it may be because of that or unreported offenses.

[Railbird]

Just looked up court record, looks like he is currently being held in jail for several counts of “ |POSSESS MATTER SEX PERFORMANCE BY MINOR O/12 < 18 - 1ST OFF||01/19/2023” and “ USE OF A MINOR (U/18) IN A SEXUAL PERFORMANCE” - I imagine it would be hard to appeal a case where one has created video evidence.

[skydy]

Sam Berry went straight to the USEF SS “Banned” list, no stopping by the “Suspension” list first, so the evidence must be quite clear.

[Jealoushe]

Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport Hotline

Wonder if this will be used for Safe sport too?

[AmmyHunter]

COTH has now reported on Sam Berry. The Chronicle of the Horse (chronofhorse.com)

[JanM]

They catch a lot of the child porn people because they ‘star’ in the products they produce. Most of the ones I have heard of locally that were caught with video evidence are gone for many years in federal prison.

[hoopoe]

someone I know investigates these cases. I cannot imagine how she deals with the trauma.

[Paint_Party]

The types of creeps she has to deal with. Ugh.

And yet, where would we be without people like her?

[Paint_Party]

@AmmyHunter

COTH has now reported on Sam Berry.

So… he was making porn videos? With minors? Good grief. It seems like it’s never ending. How many of these predators are out there in the equestrian world?

[Scribbler]

@Paint_Party

@AmmyHunter

COTH has now reported on Sam Berry.

So… he was making porn videos? With minors? Good grief. It seems like it’s never ending. How many of these predators are out there in the equestrian world?

Worth pointing out that people get charged with child porn for things like sexting with minors. Including other minors. Including minors with nude selfies on their phones. I have no idea what he did but since their is no charge about distributing porn it is possible this is possession of sexual images but not “making porn videos” for distribution.

It’s illegal to have sexual images of minors, period.

[Knights_Mom]

Part of you gets used to it and the other parts needs to do whatever you can to prosecute the molesters.

[AmmyHunter]

@Paint_Party

So… he was making porn videos? With minors? Good grief. It seems like it’s never ending. How many of these predators are out there in the equestrian world?

Not necessarily - the Kentucky statute uses the word “performance” but if you look at their definition of performance it’s clear it would include sexting. The authorities seized his phone a while back (pretty publicly, at a horse show), and had the voluntary submission of the reporting victim’s phone, and sexting was apparently part of what was going on.

[Paint_Party]

@AmmyHunter

the Kentucky statute uses the word “performance” but if you look at their definition of performance it’s clear it would include sexting.

Ah, okay, thanks!

[LexInVA]

Two more names have been added to the heap over the past few days…

Harrison Brown, who is affiliated with the H/J scene in Oregon, for allegations of misconduct.

Christian Heineking, of Heineking Show Stables and October Hill Farm (H/J), in Aledo, TX. Allegations of misconduct. No sanctions against his wife at this time.

Three individuals have had their Safesport sanctions upgraded to ineligibility, pending final appeal.

Alec Lawler, for sexual misconduct and associated criminal charges involving a minor.

David Loman, for sexual misconduct.

Tom Harvey, for sexual misconduct and associated criminal charges.

[Jealoushe]

Haven’t listened yet but this will be an interesting listen.

‎Front Burner: Inside Canada’s safe sport ‘crisis’ on Apple Podcasts