Preventing abuse, harassment, discrimination, bullying, negligence and violence

Organized amateur sports and recreation activities bring together thousands of young people, volunteers, paid staff, coaches, officials and administrators who dedicate a great deal of time and energy to children. Because of the roles they play, they have a major influence over these children. They serve as role models and are sometimes considered heroes, becoming trusted figures in whom children can confide.

Unfortunately, in this field as in others, there are situations in which children become the victims of abuse, harassment, negligence and violence in all its forms.

With the Act respecting safety in recreation and sports, the Regulation to ensure the integrity of persons during the practice of a recreational activity or a sport, the Protecteur de l’intégrité en loisir et en sport, the Policy on Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation (in French only), the Concerted action plan to prevent and counter bullying and cyberbullying (in French only), theIntegrated Government Strategy to Counteract Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence and to Rebuild Trust and the Québec security and integrity program (in French only), the government has committed to carrying out a variety of actions with the aim to preventing abuse, harassment, discrimination, bullying, negligence and violence in sports and recreational contexts.

To ensure a healthy and safe environment for recreation and sports, the government’s approach places participants at the centre of its priorities, thanks to the commitment of organizations to uphold and promote these principles:

• respect for individuals and their physical and psychological integrity
• zero tolerance for any form of violence, whether psychological, physical, sexual or due to negligence
• personal development and growth through quality, healthy, and safe activities
• a vision that goes beyond performance and focuses on well-being

With the aim of adopting a clear stance against violence and to take the necessary steps to fulfill their responsibility, sports organizations are encouraged to fill out the participation form (in French only) and to implement:

• a policy for protecting integrity, including an independent procedure for managing complaints regarding situations of abuse, harassment, negligence or violence
• a policy for verifying judicial records (screening) that applies to all administrators, staff and individuals who, as do volunteers, act on behalf of the organization, in both interpersonal relations and in interacting with members
• measures for raising awareness, sharing information and providing training on the topic of protecting integrity

In the last few years, the issue of sexual violence has been discussed prominently in the media. The sports and recreation sector is not without these issues. That is why the Ministère de l’Éducation has developed prevention documents to better equip the sports and recreation sector and help ensure public safety.

The following documents have been made available:

• Glossary of the main types of sexual violence (PDF 8.57 Mb): This document presents the definitions of the main types of sexual violence. It is designed to provide information to the sports and recreation sector and support it in its prevention and intervention actions with a shared reference framework.  
• Directory of resources for support, assistance and prevention with regard to the protection of integrity in sports and recreation (PDF 4.28 Mb): This document details the main resources available for support, assistance and prevention of interpersonal violence (physical, psychological and sexual), including support and prevention services specifically dedicated to sexual violence.
• Information document regarding consent (PDF 6.23 Mb): This document presents the principles regarding consent to sexual activity in a question-and-answer format. It is designed to inform and support organizations, staff members and participants.