Campaign: Do you stay silent or do you speak up?

One in eight athletes experiences sexual harassment, abuse or other forms of unacceptable behaviour. That is entirely unacceptable. The campaign "Do you stay silent or do you speak up?" encourages people to break the silence.

The Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Martial Arts Authority) and all affiliated federations want to do everything possible to ensure that sport is safe. The martial arts sector works together with the Centrum Veilige Sport Nederland (Centre for Safe Sport Netherlands). In cooperation with the national sports umbrella organisation NOC*NSF, the VA has had a first group of sixteen confidential contact persons (Vertrouwenscontactpersonen) trained. A second group will be trained for this role this autumn.

It is important that there are points of contact for people who are confronted with transgressive behaviour. But these only work if people also know that these points of contact exist. That there are people they can talk to, and who can direct them to the right support. That is why the Centrum Veilige Sport has developed the campaign "Do you stay silent or do you speak up?". Videos, posters and advertisements encourage people to break the silence.

The campaign material is available here. Federations, gyms and other parties involved are encouraged to share it on their own website and via social media.

The VA also encourages everyone in martial arts to place a banner on their own website linking to the page on confidential matters on the website of the Vechtsportautoriteit:

Are you experiencing transgressive behaviour yourself? Or is something on your mind and you are not sure whether it is acceptable? Then contact the Centrum Veilige Sport, contact the confidential contact persons of the martial arts sector, or chat with Fier.