Abstract
Drawing on the assumption that it is possible to learn a great deal about cultures by analysing circumstances where routine thoughts and conceptions of ‘normal’ practice are radically disturbed, this chapter investigates the views of a self-selecting sample of male amateur and semi-professional football players (current and former) towards the child sexual abuse scandal that rocked British football in 2016. By exploring how agents make sense of what has been uncovered, this chapter raises polarising views that are indicative of a culture in the process of transition. Focusing on the social environment that surrounds men’s football, it illustrates how historically embedded hyper-masculine cultures can encourage the reproduction of the ‘archetypical’ strong, silent male—a situation that is thought to discourage the public disclosure of sexual abuse. In contrast, this chapter also draws attention to the process of cultural change. Contemporary football cultures are thought by some to provide an inclusive, supportive environment that welcomes multiple masculinities and encourages all players to share personal problems.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Adams, M. (2011). Artistic impressions: Figure skating, masculinity and the limits of sport. Toronto, ON, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
Alaggia, R., & Millington, G. (2008). Male child sexual abuse: A phenomenology of betrayal. Clinical Social Work Journal, 36, 265–275.
Anderson, E. (2005). In the game: Gay athletes and the cult of masculinity. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Anderson, E. (2008). “Being masculine is not about who you sleep with…” Hetrosexual athletes contesting masculinity and the one-time rule of homosexuality. Sex Roles, 58(1–2), 104–115.
Anderson, E. (2009). Inclusive masculinity: The changing nature of masculinities. London: Routledge.
Anderson, E. (2015). Assessing the sociology of sport: On changing masculinities and homophobia. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 50(4–5), 363–367.
Anderson, E., Adams, A., & Rivers, I. (2012). ‘I Kiss Them Because I Love Them’: The emergence of heterosexual men kissing in British institutes of education. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(2), 421–430.
Anderson, E., & McGuire, R. (2010). Inclusive masculinity theory and the politics of men’s rugby. Journal of Gender Studies, 19(3), 249–262.
Baker, A., & Duncan, S. (1985). Child sexual abuse: A study of prevalence in Great Britain. Child Abuse and Neglect, 9, 457–467.
Bauman, Z. (2007). Consuming life. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a theory of practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Brackenridge, C. H. (2001). Spoilsports: Understanding and preventing sexual exploitation in sport. London: Routledge.
Brackenridge, C. H. (2003). Child protection in Football Research Project 2003: Final Report. Independent Football Commission.
Burstyn, V. (1999). The rites of men: Manhood, culture and the politics of sport. London: University of Toronto Press.
Cashmore, E. (2002). Beckham. London: Polity.
Cashmore, E., & Cleland, J. (2012). Glasswing butterflies: Gay professional football players and their culture. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 35(4), 420–436.
Cashmore, E., Cleland, J., & Dixon, K. (2018). Screen society. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cleland, J. (2015). Discussing homosexuality on association football fan message boards: A changing cultural context. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 50(2), 125–140.
Cleland, J., Magrath, R., & Kian, E. (2018). The internet as a site of decreasing homophobia in assiciation football: An online response by fans to the coming out of Thomas Hitzlsperger. Men and Masculinities, 21(1), 91–111.
Clements, B., & Field, C. (2014). Public opinion towards homosexuality and gay rights in Great Britain. Public Opinion Quarterly, 78, 523–547.
Coakley, J. (2009). Sports in society: Issues and controversies (10th ed.). London: McGraw Hill.
Conn, D. (2016, December 29). Child abuse in sport and the progress made towards eradicating it. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/dec/29/fa-child-protection-work-celia-brackenridge
Connell, R. W. (1987). Masculinities. London: Polity.
Connell, R. W. (2005). Masculinities (2nd ed.). London: Polity.
Corby, B. (2000). Child abuse: Towards a knowledge base (2nd ed.). Buckingham: Open University Press.
Cunningham, S. (2018, March 20) Former player ‘angered’ by Chelsea handling of abuse. i News. Retrieved from https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-sex-abuse-football-eddie-heath/
Dale, K., & Alper, J. (2007). Hiding behind the cloth: Child sexual abuse and the Catholic Church. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 16(3), 59–94.
Dixon, K. (2013). Consuming football in late modern life. London: Routledge.
Dorahy, M. (2010). The impact of disassociation, shame, and guilt on interpersonal relationships in chronically traumatized individuals: A pilot study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23, 653–656.
Dorahy, M., & Clearwater, K. (2012). Shame and guilt in men exposed to childhood sexual abuse: A qualitative investigation. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 21, 155–175.
Dunning, E. (1986). Sport as a male preserve: Notes on the social sources of masculine identity and its transformations. Theory, Culture and Society, 3(1), 79–90.
Dyer, K. with Holt, O. (2018). Old too soon, smart too late. London: Headline.
Etherington, K. (2000). Narrative approaches to working with adult male survivors of child sexual abuse: The clients’, the councillor’s and the research story. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Fasting, K., Brackenridge, C. H., & Walseth, K. (2002). Coping with sexual harassment in sport: Experiences of elite female athletes. The Journal of Sexual Aggression, 8(2), 16–36.
Finkel, M. (2002). Traumatic injuries caused by hazing practices. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20, 228–233.
Finkelhor, D., Araji, S., Baron, L., Brown, A., Peters, S., & Wyatt, G. (1986). A sourcebook on child sexual abuse. London: Sage.
Gaston, L., Magrath, R., & Anderson, E. (2017). From hegemonic to inclusive masculinities in English professional football: Marking a cultural shift. Journal of Gender Studies, 27(3), 301–312.
Graham, B. (2018, January 27). ‘I was molested by Dr Larry Nassar’: How the gymnastics sexual abuse scandal unfolded. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jan/27/larry-nassar-trial-gymnastics-sexual-abuse
Hansard (2016, September 15). Child sexual abuse: Football clubs. Question for short debate as tabled by Lord Addington (1.45pm) Volume 777.
Hartill, M. (2009). The sexual abuse of boys in organised male sports. Men and Masculinities, 12(2), 225–249.
Herbert, I. (2013, December 10). Former England Captain Mick Mills ‘turned a blind eye’ to initiation ceremony abuse at Stoke City, which included sexual assault dubbed ‘the glove’. Independent. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/former-england-captain-mick-mills-turned-a-blind-eye-to-initiation-ceremony-abuse-at-stoke-city-8995903.html
Hunter, R. (Ed.). (1990). The sexually abused male: Prevalence, impact and treatment (Vol. 1). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Jarvis, N. (2013). The inclusive masculinities of heterosexual men within UK gay sports clubs. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 50(3), 283–300.
Kennedy, S. (2006). Why i didn’t say anything: The Sheldon Kennedy story. Toronto: Insomniac Press.
Kian, E., Anderson, E., Vincent, J., & Murray, R. (2015). Sport journalists’ views on gay men in sport, society and within sport media. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 50(8), 895–911.
Kimmel, M. (1994). Masculinity as homophobia: Fear, shame and silence in the construction of gender identity. In H. Brod & M. Kaufman (Eds.), Theorizing Masculinities (pp. 119–141). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kirby, S., Greaves, L., & Hankivsky, O. (2000). The dome of silence: Sexual harassment and abuse in sport. London: Zed Books.
Kirby, S., & Wintrup, G. (2002). Running the gauntlet: An examination of initiation/hazing and sexual abuse in sport. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 8(2), 49–68.
Kivel, P. (1999). Boys will be men: Raising our sons for courage, caring and community. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society.
Lee, A., Scragg, P., & Turner, S. (2001). The role of shame and guilt in traumatic events: A clinical model of shame-based and guilt-based PTSD. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 74, 451–466.
Loseke, D. (2003). ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident’: Problems in pondering the paedophile priest problem. Sexualities, 6(1), 16–36.
Magrath, R., Anderson, E., & Roberts, S. (2015). On the door-step of equality: Attitudes toward gay athletes among academy-level footballers. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 50(7), 804–821.
Mendel, M. P. (1995). The male survivor: The impact of sexual abuse. London: Sage.
NSPCC (2018). Sexual abuse: What is sexual abuse? Retrieved from https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/child-sexual-abuse/
O’Leary, P., Easton, S., & Gould, N. (2017). The effect of child sexual abuse on men: Towards a male sensitive measure. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(3), 423–445.
Parent, S., & Bannon, J. (2012). Sexual abuse in sport: What about boys? Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 354–359.
Parker, A. (2006). Lifelong learning to labour: Apprenticeship, masculinity and communities of practice. British Educational Research Journal, 32, 687–701.
Parker, A., & Manley, A. (2016). Identity. In E. Cashmore & K. Dixon (Eds.), Studying football (pp. 97–112). London: Routledge.
Redhead, S. (2017). Theoretical times. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing.
Robertson, S. (2003). ‘If I let a goal in i’ll get beat up:’ Contradictions in masculinity, sport and health. Health Education Research, 18(6), 706–716.
Roderick, M. (2006). The work of professional football: A labour of love? London: Routledge.
Romano, E., & De Luca, R. (2001). Male sexual abuse: A review of effects, abuse characteristics, and links with later psychological functioning. Aggression and Violent Behaviour, 6(1), 55–78.
Rowe, D., & McKay, J. (1999). Is sport still a man’s game? Journal of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, 3(2), 113–128.
Sepler, F. (1990). Victim advocacy and young male victims of sexual abuse: An evolutionary model. In M. Hunter (Ed.), The sexually abused male, vol. 1: Prevalence, impact and treatment. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Spiegel, J. (2003). Sexual abuse of males: The SAM model of theory and practice. New York: Routledge.
Stewart, P. (2018). Damaged: My story. London: Sport Media.
Taylor, M. (2008). The association game: A history of British football. London: Pearson Longman.
The Telegraph. (2016, November 29). Eric Bristow sacked by sky sports after sparking outrage for calling footballers ‘wimps’ in sex abuse scandal. The Telegraph. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/29/eric-bristow-sparks-outrage-calling-footballers-wimps-sex-abuse/
Tomlinson, A., & Yorganci, I. (1997). Male coach/female athlete relations: Gender and power relations in competitive sport. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 21(2), 134–155.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dixon, K. (2020). Sexual Abuse and Masculine Cultures: Reflections on the British Football Scandal of 2016. In: Magrath, R., Cleland, J., Anderson, E. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Masculinity and Sport. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19799-5_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19799-5_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-19798-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-19799-5
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)