Breaking the Silence: Perceived Barriers to Safeguarding Child and Young Athletes in Uganda and a Rights-Based Framework for Positive Change
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. The History of Sport in Uganda
1.2. Abuse and Maltreatment in Uganda
1.3. Sport, Abuse and Maltreatment in Uganda
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Conceptual Framework
2.2. Methods
- Participants were selected based on their personal experience or knowledge of the topic under study.
- Small numbers were studied intensively. The interviewer (first author), born and raised in Uganda, met several times with the interviewees maintaining a connection to gain trust and confidence during the entire process (Taylor 2005; Crouch and McKenzie 2006). The conversations were in-depth and relatively free flowing (though still focused), as is often the case in enquiries of subjective feelings and reactions, commonly in relation to “sensitive” topics (Renzetti and Lee 1993).
- Selection was conceptually driven by the CIFR, especially with regards to the multi-stakeholder dimension (Curtis et al. 2000). Purposefully, we had representation of different stakeholders and not only athletes. Multi-stakeholder participant selection was congruent with our conceptual framework to better understand multi-layered contextual factors (e.g., intervention characteristics, outer and inner settings, characteristics of individuals) that hinder or facilitate the implementation of effective sport safeguarding policies in Uganda (process domain).
- Swimming and athletics were purposefully selected because they are relatively early specialization sports. As athletes are immersed in these sports at early ages, their exposure to different abuse situations may be increased (Lang and Hartill 2014). Additionally, the national federations of these sports have safeguarding codes and regulations in place; thus, how they are being used and perceived by key stakeholders is of interest.
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results: Barriers to Implementing Sport Safeguarding in Uganda
3.1. Key Overarching Theme 1: Culture and Norms
3.2. Key Overarching Theme 2: Political Processes, Funding, and Resources
4. Discussion
- (i)
- A trauma-informed, victim-centred approach of violence prevention and control with mental health support and counselling services.
- (ii)
- Reporting mechanisms that are readily available, legally bound, and human-centred, respecting the privacy and confidentiality of victims and whistle-blowers.
- (iii)
- Access to rights-based education in schools and sports clubs that defines different types of violence and equips children (and parents) with tools for responding and reacting in given situations.
- (iv)
- Unified policies with firm sanctions for the perpetrators.
- (v)
- Multi-stakeholder partnership for policy implementation.
- (vi)
- Access to funding prioritising sport.
5. Study Limitations
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Inclusion Criteria |
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Stakeholders | Age | Gender |
---|---|---|
Athletics athlete | 27 | Female |
Swimmer 1 | 24 | Female |
Swimmer 2 | 25 | Female |
Swimmer 3 | 26 | Female |
Swimming coach | 37 | Male |
Athletics coach | 28 | Female |
Medical professional 1 | 50 | Female |
Medical professional 2 | 32 | Female |
Medical professional 3 | 29 | Male |
Sports administrator 1 | 37 | Male |
Sports administrator 2 | 32 | Female |
CFIR Domain | Key Constructs | Application of Constructs (Key Research Questions) | Interview Questions | Results: Identified Barriers and Key Overarching Themes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intervention characteristics | Relative advantage, adaptability, complexity, cost | What are the stakeholders’ perceptions about the current situation in the safeguarding of athletes in sport in Uganda? How feasible would it be to implement effective regulations for safeguarding athletes in sports? What (broad and/or specific) barriers and facilitators do the stakeholders identify? | What is your understanding of safeguarding and well-being? How would you relate this understanding to the sport context in Uganda? If you were to implement a change, an intervention, what would you do differently to ensure that athletes are protected from abuse in Ugandan sport? Can you think of any factors that would hinder or facilitate this? | High complexity for implementation due to cultural/structural barriers (key overarching theme: culture and norms). Lack of funding and resources (key overarching theme: political processes, lack of funding, and resources). |
Outer setting | External policies and incentives | What do the stakeholders perceive to be the external (outside sport) policy-level factors affecting the adoption of regulations safeguarding athletes in sports? | Uganda has status and regulations against the violation of children’s rights. Do you think these are effective? Are you aware of any violations of children’s rights in Uganda? If yes, why do you think such violations exist? | Culture of silence in Uganda: unreported abuse. (key overarching theme: culture and norms) No peer pressure from organisations that have implemented local, contextualised policies (key overarching theme: political processes, lack of funding, and resources). |
Inner setting | Structural features, culture, change readiness | What factors do the stakeholders identify inside the setting of sport that affect their use of regulations for safeguarding athletes in sports? | Can you point to, or give examples of, situations that might be regarded as a form of abuse or violence towards the athletes? Could they have been prevented? If yes, how? If not, why not? What do you think are the most prominent types of abuse and violence in your sport? (if any) (question to athletes, coaches) What do you think are the most prominent types of abuse and violence in sport? (if any) (question to sports administrators, medical professionals) | Structural/cultural specificities that restrict/disrupt awareness and recognition of the existing problem; male dominance, hegemonic masculinity (key overarching theme: culture and norms). Implementation climate characterised from relatively low tension for change, and low relative priority; limited readiness for implementation (e.g., limited resources) (key overarching theme: political processes, lack of funding, and resources). |
Individual (athletes/coaches) | Knowledge/beliefs, self-efficacy, personal attributes | Do athletes have education, social support/reporting mechanisms in case of abuse? | Do you know any channels that are used to report violence and abuse in Uganda? Are you aware of any such channels for reporting violence and abuse specifically in sport in Uganda? If yes, are these channels available and accessible to everyone? Is there any education (e.g., schools, sports clubs, community hubs) provided to members of the society (e.g., parents, children, and athletes) to educate them about issues to do with violence and abuse especially in rural areas? If yes, do you know what kind of teaching methods are used? | Limited to no knowledge on abuse which leads to tolerance of abusive practices and normalisation of abuse (key overarching theme: culture and norms). Weak reporting mechanisms; lack of education and training (key overarching theme: political processes, lack of funding, and resources). |
Process | Formal/informal (opinion) leaders | Who do the stakeholders identify as formal and informal leaders who will shape the implementation and adoption of these policies for safeguarding athletes in sports? | Who do you think has the power to implement change in safeguarding in sport in Uganda? (Individual and/or entity) Is there anything else you would like to mention or highlight that might shed more light on the topic of safeguarding athletes in Uganda? | There is government will and international organisations willing to help but structural/cultural specificities restrict, prevent, or disrupt awareness and recognition of the existing problem for any planning, engaging, executing, or reflecting (key overarching theme: culture and norms). Weak enforcement of laws; no unified, multi-stakeholder policies among leading decision-making entities (key overarching theme: political processes, lack of funding, and resources). |
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Kisakye, E.T.; Chatziefstathiou, D.; Tuakli-Wosornu, Y.A. Breaking the Silence: Perceived Barriers to Safeguarding Child and Young Athletes in Uganda and a Rights-Based Framework for Positive Change. Soc. Sci. 2023, 12, 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110588
Kisakye ET, Chatziefstathiou D, Tuakli-Wosornu YA. Breaking the Silence: Perceived Barriers to Safeguarding Child and Young Athletes in Uganda and a Rights-Based Framework for Positive Change. Social Sciences. 2023; 12(11):588. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110588
Chicago/Turabian StyleKisakye, Eva Tumwiine, Dikaia Chatziefstathiou, and Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu. 2023. "Breaking the Silence: Perceived Barriers to Safeguarding Child and Young Athletes in Uganda and a Rights-Based Framework for Positive Change" Social Sciences 12, no. 11: 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110588
APA StyleKisakye, E. T., Chatziefstathiou, D., & Tuakli-Wosornu, Y. A. (2023). Breaking the Silence: Perceived Barriers to Safeguarding Child and Young Athletes in Uganda and a Rights-Based Framework for Positive Change. Social Sciences, 12(11), 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110588