Break Point! is a powerful and timely investigation into gender-based and sexual violence in sports, challenging the longstanding culture of silence, denial, and institutional complicity that enables abuse to persist across all levels of athletic participation. With urgency and depth, this groundbreaking work exposes the systemic harm inflicted on athletes-children, teens and adults alike-across the gender spectrum, including women, men, and transgender individuals.
Through a compelling blend of research, case studies, Break Point! uncovers the widespread psychological, emotional, sexual and physical abuse that continues to plague sports environments. It traces the historical roots of violence in athletics, revealing the alarming prevalence of misconduct and the persistent shortcomings of sports organizations, law enforcement, and judicial systems to adequately respond to and prevent harm.
The book offers a critical examination of how language and media shape public understanding of abuse in sport. It explores how media narratives: contribute to the hypersexualization of athletes, reinforce damaging myths, and contribute to the underrepresentation and devaluation of women's and gender-diverse sports. By deconstructing these narratives, Break Point! illuminates how harmful stereotypes are sustained-and how they can be dismantled.
At its core, Break Point! is a call for accountability and systemic change. It underscores the essential role of bystander intervention and provides clear, actionable strategies that empower individuals-coaches, teammates, fans, administrators, and parents-to recognize, disrupt, and prevent abuse. The book also offers practical recommendations for educational institutions, sports governing bodies, and community organizations to create safer, more inclusive athletic spaces.
Urgent and deeply compassionate, Break Point! amplifies the voices of survivors while equipping readers with the tools to become part of the solution. It is an essential resource for educators, policy makers, athletic professionals, advocates, and anyone committed to fostering a culture of dignity, equity, and safety in sport.
Break Point! is a blueprint for change. By confronting the uncomfortable truths at the heart of modern athletics, this book challenges us all to break the silence, dismantle systems of harm, and reimagine a future where every athlete can thrive free from violence.
