Extract from ten minute rule motion on Sexual Offences (Sports Coaches) - June 17
Thursday, 18 June 2020 08:44
Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) (Con):...I have spent a
significant amount of my life coaching sport, so I concur with
sports and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children that in sport, especially but not exclusively, the elite
pathway is a vulnerable area. In my view, the Ministry of Justice
should have acted straightaway to close the loophole in the 2003
Act. When I was dealing with the issue as sports Minister, it was
claimed that if the legislation was extended...Request free trial
(Chatham and Aylesford)
(Con):...I have spent a significant amount of my life coaching
sport, so I concur with sports and the National Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children that in sport, especially but not
exclusively, the elite pathway is a vulnerable area. In my view,
the Ministry of Justice should have acted straightaway to close the
loophole in the 2003 Act. When I was dealing with the issue as
sports Minister, it was claimed that if the legislation was
extended to sports coaches, it would also need to be extended
to Music teachers,
private tutors, and faith and driving instructors. My response, as
the daughter of a social worker who has spent her working life
dealing with child sexual abuse, is, “Yes, it absolutely should
be.” I fail to understand why it should not. Concern about the
scope of the prescribed list is a poor reason to avoid taking a
policy position and changing the positions of trust provisions.
Anyone in a position to influence another person’s journey through
life, meaning that a power balance rests with them, should not be
able to abuse that position via a sexual relationship. Someone’s
place in the team or time on the pitch, or the competitions in
which they are entered, should not be vulnerable to another
person’s physical or emotional demands...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
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