Unchecked Harassment (Episode 57)

In this Episode

In a year of podcasts, this was the first time that we felt the need to start with a trigger warning.

Why?

Robert Sylvester Kelly (R. Kelly). Dr. Larry Nassar. Harvey Weinstein. Dr. William H. Cosby. Gerald Arthur Sandusky…and their countless accomplices are our reasons why. Sadly, we could go on and on with the legal names of both the famous and infamous perpetrators of heinous acts of sexual violence and related crimes. As we focus on endurance sport, we realize that many of our male-dominated settings provide ample opportunity for such behavior to spread.

(Note well, we are not saying that women are not perpetrators or that same-sex violence does not happen. What we are saying is that the overwhelming majority of such heinous acts are perpetrated by men in power against women and girls…and the majority of those women and girls are not empowered to report bad behavior).

Violence against women happens for various reasons that has nothing to do with the women themselves: quid pro quo propositions, hostile work or learning environments…and the hits keep coming via various forms of violence. Rumors, bullying, slut shaming, verbal harassment, unwanted touching. Oh, and let’s not forget — much of this also happens in virtual spaces.

Given this, we propose that such “scandals” aren’t scandals at all. A scandal is usually relegated to being a rumor or malicious gossip, but that’s not true for the victims and survivors. Such violence is their truth, which can happen anywhere — on a bike ride or at the pool; during an event or in a changing tent; in your local bike shop or in a business meeting.

Fortunately, we at least have the U.S. Center for SafeSport as a layer of protection, however we need much more than just protocols, policies, and procedures. Change management doesn’t occur just because some meaningless phrases are on a sheet of paper. They occur with deep personal work, ongoing awareness, and interrupting the bad behavior of the Roberts, Larrys, Harveys, Williams, and Gerald.

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