More than four million Australian children participate in community sport every week. However, research shows that many children experience psychological, physical, or sexual harm while participating in community sport. Preventing abuse is particularly challenging in sport because responsibility for child safety is spread across a complex network of governments, sporting organisations, clubs, and volunteers. Community clubs are often expected to implement safeguarding policies with limited training, resources, or support, leaving volunteers to navigate situations largely on their own. As a result, there is often a gap between child safety policies on paper and the realities of keeping children safe in practice. Understanding how to close this gap and promote sporting environments that are safe and inclusive for all participants is one of the most significant challenges facing Australian community sport today.
A/Prof Mary Woessner is an ARC DECRA Fellow at Victoria University, where she leads the Safe and Inclusive Sport Research Group. Her work is driven by a commitment to promoting safe, equitable, and inclusive cultures in sport, with particular attention the community sport settings. Her research examines how policy, governance, and community practices shape safety and wellbeing in sport. She has led landmark research on the prevalence of psychological, physical, and sexual violence in Australian community sport, children’s experiences of disclosing abuse and how adults respond, and the support needs of volunteers responsible for safeguarding. Collectively, her work informs policy, training, and practice nationally and internationally. She remains committed to translating evidence into practical strategies that improve prevention, reporting, and response systems within community sport.