Sport is fun - it gives you the opportunity to make new friends, try out new activities and amaze yourself with what you can do!

But for a few children the fun is spoilt by adults who do or say things during sporting activities that hurt or frighten them. What these children are experiencing may be abuse. And they may feel they have no one to talk to about it. Or that no one will listen to them or believe what they say.

Is something worrying you?

If you think that you may be being abused, or if you're not sure but feel worried and frightened, this section will:

• Help you understand what child abuse is.
• Explain what to do if you are being abused or are worried about someone at your sports club.
• Tell you about some special helplines that will listen to you and give advice.

Child abuse is when an adult harms a child or young person. There are four main type of abuse:

Physical abuse: this includes being hit, kicked, shaken or punched, or given harmful drugs or alcohol.

Emotional abuse: this includes being called names all the time, being threatened or being made to feel small.

Sexual abuse: this includes being touched in a way you don't like by an adult or young person, being forced to have sex, or being made to look at sexual pictures or videos. For some disabled children, it includes if a person helping them to use the toilet touched them more than was needed.

Neglect: is when a child is not looked after properly, including having no place to stay, or not enough food to eat, or clothes to keep them warm. It also includes if the child is not given medical care when they need it, including medication. For some disabled children, it could include if their carer took away the things they needed for everyday life - like their wheelchair or communication board. Or if they did not help a disabled child who needed help using the toilet.

Bullying and racism are also forms of abuse. Bullying includes hitting or threatening a child with violence, taking their things, calling them names or insulting them, making them do things they won't want to do, and deliberately humiliating or ignoring them.

Abuse is never your choice and never your fault
Abuse creates all sorts of confusing feelings and emotions, including feeling frightened, alone, confused, angry, unloved, guilty or ashamed. Often a child may not realise that what is making them feel so bad is really abuse. Or he or she may know it's abuse and is wrong, but feel that somehow it's their fault.

It is very important to remember that the abuse is not your choice and is not your fault.

Child abuse in sport

Here are some things young people have told us about abuse they've experienced:

'.... that's what hurt me most, that people knew it was happening and they all didn't do anything about it, and when they had the chance to do something about it they still didn't...'

'...even when you said 'no' he kept on at me, so eventually you just gave up and got it over with.'

'The coach has all the power over you, he decides what events you enter, what training you do, everything '

If you think you are being abused, or have been in the past, it's really important to tell an adult you trust. This isn't easy. You may feel worried about what will happen if you do. Here are some other reasons why you may not want to tell anyone:

• The abuser may have told you to keep quiet and not to talk to anybody.
• They may have threatened you about what might happen to you or your place in the team if you tell.
• They may have made threats about your friends or family.
• They may have said "No one will believe you" or "No one will do anything if you tell".
• You may feel guilty that you didn't stop the abuse happening.
• The person may be someone who everyone in your sport looks up to - perhaps including your parents.
• You may not want to let your parents down.
• You may even think the problem will go away if you ignore it.

Don't let any of these things stop you getting help. By telling someone, you can stop the abuse. You'll also be helping to protect other children from the abuser.

Getting help

• Tell an adult you trust as soon as possible. This could be: a parent or someone else in your family; another member of staff at the sports club; a teacher or school counsellor; your doctor or school nurse.
• Contact one of these child protection helplines. They will know who can help you in your area.
• You club will have a child protection officer. Find out who they are and tell them abut your worries.
• Make sure you are not alone again with the person who has tried to harm you.

You can contact the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000. Calls are free unless you call from a mobile phone. The lines are open 24 hours, 7 days a week There's also a textphone service for anyone with hearing difficulties on 0800 056 0566.

Websites:
www.childline.org.uk ChildLine is the free, 24-hour helpline for children and young people in the UK. Children and young people can call on 0800 1111 about any problem, at any time - day or night.

www.bullying.co.uk. This site has lots of advice for children about dealing with bullying. There are also useful links to other advice sites.