What Parents Need to Know About Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports

As a reporter for The Washington Post and now ProPublica, I’ve investigated how youth sports organizations have failed to protect kids from sexual predators. I’ve spoken to dozens of parents. Some had children who were victimized by coaches. Others wanted to know how to keep their children safe.Nearly every parent I’ve met said they didn’t have the information they needed to understand the system set up to protect their kids. Here’s what you need to know (and how to get in touch with tips): Table of Contents How is the system supposed to work? The system revolves around one organization: the U.S. Center for SafeSport. SafeSport, as it’s known, is charged with investigating allegations of abuse at all levels of sport, from elite Olympic athletes to young recreational players. Its focus is s