Sexual harassment in aquatic settings - Aquatics

Parks & Recreation, Feb, 2002 by C. Eric Gronbech, Lynn C. Meisner

The aquatic environment is fraught with potential for sexual harassment, especially for girls and women. The transient and seasonal nature of many positions, small age-difference between employees and patrons, and relatively low pay may at times foster unprofessional conduct. At the present time, the organizations that train and certify aquatic professionals do not formally address sexual harassment in either swim instructor or life guarding education. It is therefore left to the local facility to address the issues of training and prevention in the recreational, instructional life guarding, competitive and managerial environments.

Swimming is one of the most popular leisure pursuits in the United States. It is a prerequisite for all other aquatic activities. It is estimated that there are over 6.5 million pools in the United States and uncountable miles of shore line. As many as 103 million Americans consider aquatic activities their number one recreational pursuit (American Red Cross, 1996). Many leisure services place a great deal of their program emphasis and resources in aquatics. This is especially true in geographic areas which permit seasonal outdoor aquatic opportunities. It is stated in Leisure Programming: A Service-centered and Benefits Approach (Edginton, Hanson, Edginton and Hudson, 19981 that the objective of an aquatics program should be "to provide a positive, fun-filled opportunity to learn skills that will reduce the number of drownings and provide life-long aquatic enjoyment." This objective is accomplished by providing a safe aquatic experience, encouraging individuals to have fun and including programing opportunities for skill development.

The aquatic environment is fraught with potential for sexual harassment. This is especially true for girls and women. In fact Stein (1993) found that 99 percent of survivors of sexual harassment are girls. The transient, temporary and seasonal nature of many of the employment opportunities, young age of employees, small difference in age between patrons and aquatic staff, and relatively low pay may at times foster unprofessional conduct. At the present time, the organizations that train aquatic professionals do not formally address sexual harassment in either swim instructor or life guarding education. Although the American Red Cross devotes a whole chapter in their instructor training manual to risk management, sexual harassment is never mentioned.

Many of the patrons at aquatic facilities are girls and young women. Possibly a representation by gender greater than in other areas of physical recreation. Thirty seven percent of girls 6 to 9 years old have already been sexually harassed (Palmer and Bass, 1994). Fifty percent of women surveyed on 36 college campuses by Yaffe (1995), reported that they had been harassed since age 14. Eighty five percent of all high school age girls have experienced sexual harassment (Bryant, 1993). One in three girls are sexually abused by age 18, and one in four by age 14 (Hopper, 1996). Sixteen to 24 year old women are four limes more likely to be assaulted than females of other ages (Koss, ef al. 1987).

Sexual harassment may occur as a result of misguided appreciation, misconception of others' behavior, a perceived threat, a need to get even, peer pressure, a need for control, or a desire for gratification from one in a vulnerable position or thought to be vulnerable. Sometimes it's simply a benign attempt to get attention.

The Problem

Aquatic personnel are at a potentially greater risk of being involved with sexual harassment than are teachers, coaches and administrators in other physical activities. Possibly unique to the aquatic environment is the early age at which the potential for harassment exists. Swim lessons can be initiated with infants, and age-group swim competition is nationally sanctioned and common for children as young as 8 years old. Aquatic personnel may be certified to teach or assist, and assigned to coach or lifeguard in their mid to late teenage years. The age difference and expected maturity usually encountered between students and teachers, or athletes and coaches, is oftentimes significantly diminished. This sometimes contributes to a more relaxed and informal atmosphere and may nurture unprofessional conduct.

A goal of aquatic activities is to be fun and enjoyable. Children and young adults spend many hours at aquatic facilities and develop strong friendships with the aquatic staff. In community aquatic facilities many long familial relationships have been nurtured. Recreational activities and pool parties, some where alcohol is available, create opportunities for social interaction in an informal setting not only among patrons but also among staff, and sometimes between patrons and staff. At times this relaxed climate carries over and may nurture unprofessional conduct of a sexual nature. In informal social settings it is also not uncommon for sexual advances to be initiated by a potential victim (target/survivor).