Barns upplevelser av emotionella kränkningar och övergrepp inom barn- och ungdomsidrotten

Sammanfattning: Since 2009 the Swedish Sport Confederation has included a child rights perspective in their policy guidelines for child sport in Sweden. These guidelines states that all children shall be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation. Despite this, studies show not only that emotional abuse and maltreatment occurs in children´s sport but that it is has a great effect on children. The aim of this study was to analyze the experiences and effects of emotional abuse and maltreatment among children athletes. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with nine children, 13-18 years old, from both team- and individual sports. The result shows that emotional abuse and maltreatment occurs between both athletes and between athletes and their coaches. It is the coherency and atmosphere in the group that is a vital factor for the sport to lead to positive feelings and experiences. When there is no strong coherency, the atmosphere is perceived as negative, destructive criticism between athletes increases or when destructive criticism comes from coaches, it leads to negative feelings and experiences. The most commonly form of emotional abuse and maltreatment was verbal abuse, lack of attention, neglect and non-verbal abuse. The result show effects such as decrease in performance, lower self-confidence and insecurity. It also shows effects associated with feelings such as irritation, inadequateness, unsuccessfulness and sadness. Emotional abuse and maltreatment occurs on practice, competitions as well as beside the field of play and is in the vast majority of situations linked to performance.