[TW] Sexual Abuse & Misconduct in Figure Skating

[yuzuangel]

17 hours ago, cirelle said:

 

Seems like the right thing to do. If he is guilty, the victims can seek help/compensation. If he is not, then it clears his name. Even though tragically he died it's still important.

[Figure_Frenzy]

In The Loop podcast just made an episode about the John Coughlin case. A bit late but I think considering the manner of the discussion within the podcast (review and all) I think it came in just the right time, with enough distance from the events and clarity to view it.

https://castbox.fm/vb/132914170

 

Transcript: https://www.inthelopodcast.com/news/2019/03/01/episode-27-transcript

 

So, several points worth noting:

• John Coughlin was just alleged at that point of the suspension, it was only about to be investigated whether he was really a sexual abuser.
• Given this, it became understandable why coaches and skaters close to him defended him vehemently — since they thought that he was innocent and the accusers smeared his reputation with the accusations.
• Most who made tribute posts to John/posted condolensces to social media/etc. doesn't necessarily mean they defended his misconducts — this got ridiculously easy to lose in the heat of the moment.
• The people closest to John though — the ones who defended him vehemently — sent the message to the accusers (ie. victims) that their experience didn't matter, and that's not a good thing to say the least.
• Sexual abuses in the skating environment, especially involving minors, should definitely never happen again in the future. How could it be prevented? By recognizing how it had previously happened. How to found that out? By investigating the case thoroughly.
• The victims definitely need closure — what I am genuinely curious about is, especially with John Coughlin already passed away — what are the things necessary to do (especially related to the investigation) to bring the victims closure? (I am talking not only about therapy for the victims, but also other things...)
• Quite off the tangent but, cancel culture is cringeworthy :v

 

I know the podcast and this post serve only as a summary of sorts for this case — hopefully it gives a better understanding of the situation.

[jinxxoo]

I thought the in the Loop episode was quite good and discussed different aspects of the situation.

[kaeryth]

 

[yuzuangel]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2019/03/04/figure-skating-culture-grooming-abuse-probe-safesport/3053528002/

 

Quote

“The issues in this sport are similar to those the Center has seen in many others and cut across a wide population,” SafeSport said in a statement to USA TODAY. “This cannot be allowed to continue. The Center addresses these cultural issues every day through training and education and by, on a case-by-case basis, holding those who violate the (SafeSport) Code accountable.”

 

SafeSport spokesman Dan Hill said in a phone interview that SafeSport has become aware of these issues “with the reports we have been seeing and the anecdotal stories and evidence we have been receiving. Without getting into the specifics of any particular person, we have had people want to explain how the sport works, with concerns about how young women in particular are treated, especially in pairs skating. 

 

[kaeryth]

"My clients and I want to make this clear: John Coughlin used his position of trust and power and prominence in figure skating to sexually abuse multiple minors, three of whom I represent," attorney John Manly said.

 

[WinForPooh]

1 hour ago, kaeryth said:

"My clients and I want to make this clear: John Coughlin used his position of trust and power and prominence in figure skating to sexually abuse multiple minors, three of whom I represent," attorney John Manly said.

 

 

This is the attorney who represented the survivors in the Larry Nassar thing, too, isn't he? 

 

ETA: Yep. That's him. Good, the victims have the right representation.

[Vulnavia]

27 minutes ago, WinForPooh said:

Good, the victims have the right representation.

 

Yes, and I'm glad he's coming forward to speak for them now that Coughlin's camp seems to be really trying to push the 'false allegations' narrative. I hope USFS is held accountable in some way for totally mishandling this from the beginning. 

[yuzuangel]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2019/04/03/us-figure-skating-needs-immediate-change/3352261002/

 

Quote

Blumenthal strongly criticized USFS for not using SafeSport’s strong words as a catalyst for change.

 

“SafeSport’s sharp remarks on the culture of abuse in USFS must prompt immediate change, not deafening silence or finger-pointing,” he said. “Rigorous oversight, increased transparency, and full accountability are needed to protect the safety of young athletes, build a culture that encourages survivors to come forward, and restore the reputations of these institutions.”

 

Civil rights attorney Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an Olympic gold-medal winning swimmer and CEO of Champion Women, also criticized USFS’s silence.

“U.S. Figure Skating is sending a clear message that they don’t care about victims,” Hogshead-Makar said in a phone interview. “There is a culture of coaches molesting and ‘dating’ their athletes, and older athletes ‘dating’ younger athletes, and of course in both cases it’s about power — the power an older athlete has over a younger athlete. USFS has done nothing to address that issue. It’s very revealing how badly they don’t want to upset the current status quo of who has the power.”

 

Sounds like USFS knows more about this than we do, and there are a lot of issues that haven't been made public

[hoodie axel]

On 4/3/2019 at 1:50 PM, yuzuangel said:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2019/04/03/us-figure-skating-needs-immediate-change/3352261002/

 

 

Sounds like USFS knows more about this than we do, and there are a lot of issues that haven't been made public

I am unsurprised. Frankly, we can see a lot of the things that are wrong with the USFS, with the kind of coaches and coaching that is propped up.

[Veveco]

5 hours ago, yuzuangel said:

There is a culture of coaches molesting and ‘dating’ their athletes, and older athletes ‘dating’ younger athletes, and of course in both cases it’s about power — the power an older athlete has over a younger athlete. USFS has done nothing to address that issue.

 

If this is true, it's starting to sound a lot like the Nassar case. USA gymnastics' response was appalling to say the least and failed their athletes in the worst way. I wish USFS would learn from their mistakes, but I don't have much hope given their response so far. Urg, what a mess. 

[anski]

I’m glad this case is beginning to get more coverage and USFS is getting its share of criticism. If the allegations are true this seems to be the all too usual case of a powerful organisation covering up abuse.

[yuzuangel]

 

[jinxxoo]

I hope USFS gets investigated thoroughly. 

[WinForPooh]

Quoted from that article:

 

Quote

Coughlin’s assertion that he was being prevented from speaking freely about the allegations against him by SafeSport “is not true,” SafeSport spokesman Dan Hill said in March.

“The SafeSport Code and the interim measure process that was communicated to him directly, and which is on our website, makes it clear that he could provide information, evidence, speak for himself and even ask for a hearing that would have been accommodated in 72 hours by rule,” Hill said. “That hearing would have been in front of an independent arbitrator. That’s such a critical part of all of this.”