A look, a gesture or a word. Each of them can comfort or destroy, it can hurt or encourage the little ones that every week they put on their shirts and jump onto the field to enjoy as a team. He sportthat exhaust valve, which should always be a safe place. Although it is not always so.
In recent years, multiple cases of abuse of minors, discrimination and bullying. Each time, new generations have different ways of speaking and respecting and, sometimes, these cross limits. That is why since the Foundation of FC Barcelona they undertook a pioneer project in the world of sports: a holistic system to protect minors who are part of the entity. Thanks to this they have identified 10 cases in the club, that have been successfully resolved.
Reflection of society
Training your eyes, that’s what it’s all about, in addition to being clear about how to react. Know identify behaviors and be able to anticipate events to prevent situations of emergency from occurring. violence against children and adolescents It is almost as important as creating a safe space in which victims can report. That is what the Foundation has dedicated itself to in the last year and a half. In mid-2022, a child protection system was launched that, in addition to identifying through a risk map those areas of the entity that could be problematic, has trained club professionals, families and players who spend their afternoons wearing the Barça shirt.
“The real objective of this system is not to prevent situations of violence against children from happening because unfortunately this situation will continue to happen. The club and the Foundation are a reflection of society, and unfortunately, from situations of violence and bullying, sexual abuse and neglect, mistreatment and, therefore, this will continue to happen. The real objective of this system is, first, to try prevent and minimize risks“, account Marta Segu, president of the FC Barcelona Foundation to EL PERIÓDICO. “We won’t always be able to prevent things from happening, but we can detect it and accompany the minors who suffer from this situation,” he adds.
From the Foundation they want to turn Barça into a safe place. “Have trained professionals and create an environment of trust, confidentiality so that the minors feel comfortable explaining, not only what may be happening to the club or the Foundation, but what may be happening at home, at school, in extracurricular activities,” says Segú. Thanks to this, this year they have acted in 10 cases of violence against minors: seven of them occurred outside the entity and three that have occurred within the club’s facilities.
Bullying and racism
Of the three situations of violence that have been detected within the Barça entity, two have been cases of bullying and another of racism, all in the formative stages of the club. “There has been a first case that has been verbal discrimination due to issues of racism. The coach detected that there was a situation of vulnerability, saw signs, and we acted immediately. In this case, it was not necessary to activate the entire protocol, but rather it was managed with educational and awareness measures,” says the president, who cannot give more details due to the privacy policy.
“Within the entity, two cases of bullying have also been detected and the entire system has been activated, the Social services and a job has been done accompaniment. It has affected two minors, but they have been involved 24 in total. A lot of work has been done by the technical team and it has ended up being solved, but the system has had to be activated,” he adds. The two victims are still at the club once the cases have been resolved.
Related news
The protection system, in addition to working for cases that occur within the entity, has allowed seven young people to report cases of violence they suffer in their family environment or at school. “There have been situations of bullying at school even domestic violence“, reports Segú.
Although the system works, the Foundation is aware that there are aspects to improve, such as encouraging greater involvement on the part of families in the training sessions or the total implementation of this system in all Barça academies spread around the world. Furthermore, the Foundation has made it a requirement for any company that wants to collaborate with them to adopt this system or have its own that protects minors and adolescents.