Why is there a problem with coaches sexually abusing athletes?
You won't find pedophiles at senior citizen centers. Pedophiles go to where the kids are. Pedophilia is a recognized and real psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Thus, the coaching profession attracts many pedophiles. Most athletic organizations understand that their sport will be a magnet for pedophiles. Yet, for various reasons, they choose to ignore the warning signs and even cover up for the criminal behavior of coaches. As attorneys who work primarily with sexual abuse survivors, we want nothing more than for these organizations to protect young athletes. To understand how a coach is able to coerce a child athlete, take a read at the sexual abuse grooming techniques used by predators. According to attorney Robert Allard, "predators work best in an environment where there are little if any rules or regulations serving to regulate their actions and those who supervise them have insufficient training." For that reason, sports organizations must make athlete safety a number one priority.