Reasons why athletes fail to report incidents of SGBV

More than a third of the respondents (35%) reported that fear of retaliation or consequences on athletes’ careers is the top reason why athletes fail to report incidents of SGBV in sports.

The findings further indicated that 8% of the athletes reported fear of the perpetrator as the reason for failure to report incidents.

The fact that 43% in total reported fear of the perpetrator and fear of retaliation or consequences on their career suggests that there exists a culture of fear that either aids perpetrators to get away with SGBV in sports or abets a culture that makes it difficult for perpetrators to be held accountable and culpable.

The findings further indicate that, compared to Kenya (16%) and Uganda (14%), shame or stigma associated with being a victim is reported by relatively fewer respondents in Tanzania (6%).

However, compared to Kenya (5%) and Uganda (10%), more Tanzanians (20%) reported lack of trust in reporting mechanisms as one of the top reasons why athletes fail to report incidents of SGBV.

In Kenya and Tanzania, unlike in Uganda, a fairly more respondents reported that the top reasons why athletes fail to report incidents of SGBV include lack of awareness and education on SGBV and the fact that no legal action is taken against perpetrators.