This is a workforce report exploring women’s experiences of sexual misconduct working in UK elite sport in the last five years. It includes and goes beyond the coach-athlete relationship, with occupations ranging from TV producers and lawyers to physios and administrators.

 

The data

In January 2025, UK members of the Women’s Sports Collective were invited to take part in an anonymous online survey if they worked in elite sport; 260 responded. The survey had three sections covering demographics, 16 different types of sexual misconduct behaviours, and participants’ views about how employers and governing bodies are addressing the issues.

 

Key findings

The headline findings showed that in the previous five years:

• 88% of participants have been the target of at least one form of sexual misconduct behaviour

• 87% at least one form of sexual harassment behaviour

• 40% at least one form of sexual assault behaviour

• 2% had experienced rape in the workplace or a work-related setting

• 93% said the perpetrator was ‘always’ or ‘mostly’ male

 

There were variations in how participants categorised the misconduct behaviours they had experienced. The more severe the misconduct, the more likely women were to see it as such, with only 100% congruence in the most severe category of rape.

 

Overall, 38% of participants expressed positive sentiments about governing bodies addressing the issues, and 46% in employers doing so. Women who had experienced sexual misconduct were half as confident in organisations addressing the issues compared to women who had not.

 

Recommendations

The findings suggest the sector needs to take a more comprehensive approach to fully understand the issues, and bolder action to address what is happening. Doing so will support organisations to meet the duty of care they have as employers, and their ability to attract and retain female talent. Recommendations are made for further research.

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Take action

To have a real impact, research requires action. If you find this report insightful, please share it with your colleagues to help raise awareness, facilitate meaningful conversations and drive positive change

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