Workplace health and wellbeing expert, Lindsey Simpson, recently completed a highly informative survey. To date, it has uncovered shocking indiscretions of sexual harassment endured by women representing the United Kingdom in elite sports. Titled “Women’s Experiences of Sexual Misconduct Working in UK Elite Sport,” the report highlights alarming statistics that reveal the extent of this pervasive issue, urging organizations to take immediate action.
Simpson’s academic credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation and a Master’s in workplace health and wellbeing. Through her advocacy work she hopes to affirm and empower women who have experienced sexual misconduct. The results illuminate a staggering reality—88% of respondents have faced some type of sexual misconduct in the last five years. This exacerbates a critical problem that demands immediate action. Additionally, 87% faced some type of sexual harassment, and 40% said they had been sexually assaulted.
Most disturbingly, the report found that five of these people—2%—reported having been raped in work-related situations away from their main office. Significantly, in at least three of these cases the individuals characterized themselves as having a disability. With Simpson’s artistry, this book makes a powerful case for recognizing and protecting the women’s lives that remain under threat in this workforce.
“There is a widespread understanding that men are disproportionately perpetrators of sexual violence – that’s well documented – but what I didn’t want was someone to be able to go: ‘You didn’t even ask who was doing it. How do you know it’s not women?’ So I was asking to make sure that I’m not making an assumption that is untrue but also because it can be really hard if you are a woman who is experiencing sexual misconduct at the hands of another woman. You need to be believed and we need to evidence that is also a behaviour.” – Lindsey Simpson
What we found was pretty shocking. Among those who witnessed or experienced sexual misconduct, 93% recognized male perpetrators as the most responsible parties for these behaviors in the majority of cases. The disturbing statistics show that just 38% of respondents feel confident that their governing bodies will address sexual misconduct issues. Just 46% express optimism about how their employers are responding. Alarmingly, just 29% said they were “absolutely” confident that their employer was committed to addressing these challenges.
Simpson underscored what’s at stake with these findings. He underscored the potential of data to uncover the truth of the female experience in elite sport.
“Was I surprised by the findings? No, but there is something very powerful about seeing the numbers … We know people don’t tend to report. So this gives an idea of the size and shape of the issue and gets quite specific into what actual behaviours we are talking about.” – Lindsey Simpson
As we shared the survey’s findings, the survey disabled people were front and center. This unexpected finding opened Simpson’s eyes and underscored the need for more investigation in this burgeoning area. She noted that understanding these particular experiences can shed light on broader issues of safety and inclusion within elite sports environments.
“The responses from people living with a disability really jumped out and I felt it needed to be noted and it’s something that needs to be explored further.” – Lindsey Simpson
Simpson hopes that her findings can act as a potential trigger for internal transformation within sports organizations. By raising awareness around these concerns, she seeks to encourage institutions to adopt improved risk assessments and risk mitigation measures.
“If organisations are not meeting requirements in risk assessment and mitigation, as this research suggests many are not, they expose themselves to negative legal, reputational, and commercial consequences.” – Lindsey Simpson