“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Benjamin Franklin
As humans we are trained to problem-solve and find solutions to issues that arise, but why not try to prevent issues from occurring in the first place?
Prevention is within our control and proactive prevention helps promote community and individual well-being. Prevention methods take place in every field – some might be subtle and some very obvious – and they have proven to be successful.
The examples below highlight common effective prevention practices:
You have learned to wash your hands after going to the bathroom, after returning home, or before eating. This is the simplest and most effective disease prevention method that is adopted by individuals across different walks of life. Simply washing your hands can prevent about 20% of respiratory infections, like colds, and about 30% of any diarrhea-related illnesses.
You have seen the pink ribbon crossed over and pinned to someone’s shirt or bag. The breast cancer ribbon stands as a symbol of solidarity. This ribbon is an impactful prevention tool for breast cancer as it raises awareness and calls for action amongst the population. Another significant prevention method for breast cancer is the annual mammograms scheduled by doctors worldwide for females over the age of 40. In most cases, this routine procedure has helped doctors monitor and scan for any abnormalities at an early stage. Statistics show that women who participate in mammograms reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by almost 41% in the next 10 years. Hence, if detected it can also be treated before it worsens. An increased number of mammographies means more lives will be saved as it estimates a 15-20% reduction in mortality. These are two of the most popular prevention methods for breast cancer, and widely used all over the world.
You have heard the in-flight safety announcement to ensure you are seated safely on the airplane and know all the measures in case of an emergency. Riding your bike, you wear your helmet. At the construction site, you wear your hard hat. While on the road, you wear your seatbelt. Wearing a seatbelt has saved more than 15,000 lives each year in the United States. These are simple measures that are proven to be effective. These are all methods of prevention we engage in universally to ensure our safety during travels.
As mentioned above, these are all common prevention practices that you have engaged in multiple times in your life. Why? Because these are simple, easy, effective, and low-cost ways to minimize big risks.
Similarly, we can employ prevention tactics when it comes to reducing incidents of harm and abuse in sports. However, we often shy away from this conversation due to discomfort and stigma.
Some are afraid to acknowledge that this issue exists within the sporting community. Some are scared that even the mention of this topic will instill fear within the community and cause disharmony due to the sensitivity of the topic. Some worry that it will bring forth negative publicity and unearth secrets that will hinder the functioning of their organizations. However, just as talking about death won’t kill you, prevention of sexual abuse won’t put a target on your back.
Due to the presence of this fear, worry, and anguish, sporting communities fail to recognize that the absence of proactive prevention measures often leads to passive permission of misconduct and abuse. Over 50% of athletes experience some form of abuse in sport We cannot arrest our way out of abuse. We cannot suspend or fine our way out of abuse. On average, the first incident of sexual abuse in sport occurs when players are between 13-15 years old. This means that prevention must start early!
Just as we embrace prevention methods in our daily lives – from wearing a seatbelt to washing our hands – we must extend this to preventing abuse in sports. Prevention is a commitment to ensure a safer environment for everyone.
These prevention methods are easy to learn, quick to implement, and do not cost anything at all!
We all have a role to play in creating and maintaining safe, healthy environments in sports. Check out our blog post: Safeguarding 101 to learn what you can do today to prevent abuse in your sporting community.
Stuti Daga
NYU Student
