The USOC’s minimum standards policy for the program  required each NGB to adopt an athlete safety program by December 31,  2013, that included the following minimum components: a policy that prohibits and defines six forms of misconduct: bullying,  hazing, harassment (including sexual harassment), emotional  misconduct, physical misconduct, and sexual misconduct (including  child sexual abuse);  criminal background checks for individuals who are in a position of  authority over or have frequent contact with athletes; an education and training program covering key components of their  athlete safety program by January 1, 2014; a procedure for reporting misconduct; and a grievance process to address allegations of misconduct following a  report or complaint. 2.) Federal Efforts to Address Child Sexual Abuse in a Broader Context May Apply to Youth Athletes

		Federal Agencies Engage in Some Activities to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse that May Apply to Youth Athletes

Federal agencies engage in various efforts to prevent and respond to the  sexual abuse of a broad population of youth, and these efforts may apply  to youth athletes, depending on the circumstances. Specifically, Education and Justice oversee school  compliance with Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination, including  sexual harassment and abuse, in any education program or activity that  receives federal funds. In addition, Education oversees compliance with  the Clery Act, which requires schools that participate in federal student  aid programs to annually disclose statistics on certain crimes, including  sex offenses, that occur on or near their campuses. HHS and Justice Provide Resources and Justice Conducts Criminal Investigations to Address Child Sexual Abuse in a Variety of Settings, Including Youth Athletics

CDC and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children  (NCMEC), a nonprofit organization that receives Justice funding, each  developed suggested practices for preventing and responding to sexual  abuse within youth-serving organizations, which may include youth  athletes in private athletic clubs and college and university sports  camps. Federal Oversight and Enforcement Activities

Education conducts reviews of and investigations into schools’  compliance with Title IX and Clery Act requirements to ensure schools  are meeting their obligations under these laws. Selected Athletic Programs Use Screening and Training of Staff, Among Other Actions, to Prevent and Address the Sexual Abuse of Youth Athletes

		All Selected Athletic Programs Reported Using Name-Based Criminal Background Checks to Screen Staff, but Vary in Use of Other Screening Tools

			Criminal Background Checks

Each of the 11 athletic programs we visited reported conducting some  type of screening to determine if applicants are suitable to work with  children. Officials at both private athletic clubs and university sports camps told us,  however, that the cost of fingerprint-based background checks was a  concern. Child sexual abuse prevention was a topic included in the required  training for the selected athletic programs, and training generally covered  topics such as how to identify the warning signs of, respond to, and report  suspected abuse, including sexual abuse involving an athlete and athletic  personnel. Reporting and Response Policies of Selected Athletic Programs Vary Based on the Type of Incident and Program

			Reporting

In cases where the sexual abuse of a youth athlete is observed or  suspected, all 11 athletic programs we visited have policies that require  contacting the appropriate law enforcement or child protection officials. Policies also include conducting an internal  investigation that could result in a range of sanctions, including bans from  the athletic program if there are findings of wrongdoing. As with allegations of sexual abuse, in cases of inappropriate behavior  that falls short of abuse, the policies of selected athletic programs we  visited included a variety of disciplinary actions. Education, HHS, and Justice  provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and Methodology

This appendix discusses in detail our methodology for addressing two  research questions for athletic programs aimed at developing high  performing athletes:  (1) What role do federal agencies play in preventing  and responding to the sexual abuse of youth participating in these  programs? We conducted interviews with officials from  the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice,  representatives of youth sports and education associations, and experts. We also conducted site visits to a nongeneralizable sample of youth  sports camps on university campuses and private athletic programs in  three states, which were selected based on the popularity of sports  among youth, gender participation, college rankings in selected sports,  and geographic diversity. Review of Federal Laws, Regulations and Guidance

To determine the federal role in preventing and responding to the sexual  abuse of youth athletes in these programs, we reviewed relevant federal  laws, including the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA);  Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX); and the Jeanne  Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics  Act (Clery Act), among others. We also reviewed documents on suggested practices for  preventing and responding to child sexual abuse in youth-serving  organizations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and  the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an organization  that receives grant funding from Justice. We did not assess the  sufficiency of these policies or how selected athletic programs  implemented these policies.
Why GAO Did This Study

Media reports of the sexual abuse of youth athletes by their coaches have raised questions about how athletic organizations protect against such abuse. Research shows that the power dynamic between coaches and athletes aiming for high performance makes those athletes uniquely vulnerable to abuse. Although states are primarily responsible for addressing abuse, federal laws may apply, such as those that prohibit sex discrimination, including sexual abuse, in federally-funded education programs, require reports of campus crimes, and set minimum standards for state child abuse reporting laws. GAO was asked to review efforts to prevent and respond to the sexual abuse of youth athletes under age 18.
GAO examined (1) the role of federal agencies in preventing and responding to sexual abuse of youth athletes, and (2) steps selected athletic programs aimed at high performance take to prevent and respond to such abuse. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws, regulations, guidance, and literature; visited a nongeneralizable sample of 11 athletic programs in three states selected on factors including sport popularity, gender participation, and geographic diversity; and interviewed federal agencies, relevant associations, and experts.

What GAO Found

Several federal agencies have roles in preventing and responding to the sexual abuse of a broad population of youth under age 18, which may include youth athletes. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization that receives Department of Justice (Justice) funding, published suggested practices for preventing child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations. These suggested practices include defining and prohibiting misconduct; screening staff using fingerprint-based criminal background checks and other tools; and training staff on how to recognize, report, and respond to abuse. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also makes available information on child protection policies in youth sports settings, such as defining appropriate coach-athlete relationships. In addition, Justice may investigate alleged youth athlete abuse if there is a possibility the case constitutes a federal crime. These efforts may apply to youth in a range of settings. In addition, the Departments of Education (Education) and Justice oversee compliance with a civil rights law that protects individuals from sex discrimination, including sexual abuse, at schools that receive federal funding, which would generally include youth participating in sports camps on university campuses. Education also oversees postsecondary school compliance with a federal law requiring reporting of crimes, including sex offenses, that occur on or near campus. To ensure schools are meeting their obligations under these laws, Education and Justice conduct compliance reviews and investigations, and Justice participates in federal litigation involving claims of sex discrimination. Education also provides guidance and training to schools in areas such as developing codes of conduct, offering prevention and awareness training, and establishing reporting procedures.
The 11 athletic programs GAO reviewed all reported using methods, such as screening and training staff, to help prevent and respond to the sexual abuse of youth athletes. For example, the selected athletic programs, which included 8 private athletic clubs and 3 universities operating youth sports camps, all reported using name-based background checks to screen staff members for a criminal history. Two universities that operated sports camps reported they sometimes used fingerprint-based checks, while officials from other athletic programs cited the high cost of fingerprint checks as a barrier. Training for athletic staff in the programs GAO visited included how to identify signs of, respond to, and report suspected incidents of sexual abuse. Policies for all of these athletic programs also require staff to report suspected abuse to law enforcement. Further, the selected programs had response policies that generally included removing the suspected offender from the program and conducting their own investigations, which could result in lifetime bans from the program. Athletic programs' policies also included a variety of possible disciplinary actions, such as warning letters or required leave, for addressing inappropriate behavior that falls short of sexual abuse. Some of these policies have been created or revised in recent years, including the policies that private athletic clubs are implementing based on the United States Olympic Committee's athlete safety program, SafeSport, which prohibits various forms of misconduct, including child sexual abuse. GAO did not assess the effectiveness of any of the selected athletic programs' policies.

What GAO Recommends

GAO makes no recommendations in this report. Education, HHS, and Justice provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate.