Almost two years after it was founded, the independent advice center for violence in sport has presented a first balance.
“We see how important and necessary the work of the Safe Sport contact point is in the number of consulting inquiries and help visits”, Explained Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), whose house supports the position, on Thursday on the occasion of the balance sheet.
15 inquiries per month
From July 2023 to December 2024, a total of 223 consulting inquiries and help visits to incidents of violence in sport from all over Germany. The number of consulting inquiries has increased continuously, and around 15 new inquiries per month were currently in, it continued.
According to the information, those affected usually experience different combinations of violence. 47 percent and thus almost half of the reports reported are psychological violence, about a third (36 percent) sexual violence.
In eight percent of the cases, it is about physical, seven percent of digital violence. According to the report, the vast majority of the visits to help refer to experiences of violence by children and adolescents up to the age of 18 with 86 percent.
Important role in child and youth protection
The Interior Ministry explained that the Safe Sport response point plays an important role in child and youth protection. The contact point offers access to psychological and legal advice.
With 42 percent of the help visits registered in the annual report, legal advice was only required, in another 36 percent only one psychological. In 22 percent of the cases, both forms of advice were involved.