“Do we know what we need to do? We’re beginning to, but there is much still to do.”
Clickbait Title: Unbelievable! Patrice Evra Exposes the Culture of “Toxic Masculinity” in Men’s Football
Patrice Evra Breaks the Silence on the Endemic Violence Experienced By Athletes
In a recent gathering of European politicians and sporting bodies, the former Manchester United and France captain Patrice Evra joins the debate on the issue of violence – sexual, physical and psychological – in sport. Patrice himself is also a survivor of sexual abuse and wants to put the pressing issue back on the agenda.
“When you get abused, for whatever reason, you don’t talk,” Evra explained at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe meeting in London. “It’s not easy to talk because you feel ashamed, guilty. And you don’t even know if people will believe you or not”
Understanding The Culture of Toxic Masculinity
The professional footballer emphasized the toxic masculinity existent in his own industry, saying that if a player was to open up about any sort of trauma, it would result in his marginalization by the team. He pointed out that in football, a display of emotion is viewed incredibly negatively, going as far as saying “If I had spoken out when I was a player I don’t think I would have been treated with the same respect.
The Unacceptable Rise of Violence Against Children
Evra also went on to talk about his own experience with sexual abuse at age 13 by his headteacher, and the effect it had on him. Although he was able to survive it, and eventually tell his wife about it, the prevalence of violence against kids is incredibly troubling. A stunning one in two children worldwide are estimated to experience some degree of violence in their early life, whether it be in team sports, school or out of school places.
Joining The Necessary Forces
However, the FIFA safeguarding and child protection department was set up to aim to address the problem, and Joyce Cook, now a special adviser to the president of football’s world governing body, believes that this should be backed by effective interaction between local governing bodies, political institutions and judiciaries.
The International Olympic Committee is due to report results from its working group on the prevention of harassment and abuse in sport in two weeks. It has also allocated $10m to tackle the issue before the Olympic Games next year. Sports director, Kit McConnell, said “Do we know what works? Not entirely, Do we know what we need to do? We’re beginning to, but there is much still to do.”
