The #SpeakingOut campaign addresses allegations of sexual misconduct in British professional wrestling.
Earlier this year the Athlete A story made waves about a harmful culture in the world of elite sport.
Now people are opening up about their experiences of sexual misconduct in the British professional wrestling community.
“It Feels Like We’re Fighting a Losing Battle”
In June 2020, Wrestler Millie McKenzie was one of several female colleagues to come forward alleging widespread abuse and sexual harassment in British professional wrestling.
“Very scary doing this,” she said in a tweet. “But I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I did. Things need to change.”
Another wrestler, Lucia Lee, said: “Every girl in this business has stories like these. Every single one. We warn each other, we support each other, but it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle.”
Many of the alleged victims talked about a “locker room” culture in wrestling that allowed misconduct to happen.
You can read more about the allegations and the testimonies on the BBC website.
The Voice of the Athlete
How can we prevent harmful cultures from thriving in the world of sport and activity?
Listening is Key.
We need to be open to hearing and understanding the concerns and issues that may be affecting those taking part in your sport or activity. This will help your organisation protect staff, volunteers and participants from harm and abuse. It will also help reinforce what makes sport and activity such an enjoyable experience.
Kimberley Walsh, our safeguarding elite athletes lead explored this issue in greater depth in a recent blog post. Her post also features practical tips for listening to and acting upon feedback from participants. Find it here.