Child Abuse Scandals: USA Swimming responds with 7-point action plan!

USA Swimming has outlined a 7-point action plan as to how they will address sexual abuse issues within the ranks. This is the second notice or open letter they have posted and/or sent out.

It's time for them to start setting dates, meetings and agendas which include who from the press and families will be invited to contribute and report.

As set forth in the action plan, USA Swimming will do the following:

1. Develop and disseminate comprehensive guidelines addressing acceptable coach behavior.

2. Enhance the system for reporting sexual abuse to USA Swimming and law enforcement.

3. Review USA Swimming’s Code of Conduct, as well as those of other top youth organizations.

4. Review USA Swimming’s current background screening program and determine if enhancements can be made.

5. Produce stronger communications to member clubs, which are responsible for hiring and employing coaches, regarding pre-employment screening, and the responsibility associated with hiring club employees.

6. Evaluate the process for sharing coaching history records with member clubs and other youth organizations.

7. Educate athletes, parents, coaches and club leaders on this important issue.

[Link]

What the catholic church and USA Swimming have in common as an organization; and this analogy comes about after hearing a story on NPR today about the Catholic church, is that both organizations appear to be be massively centralized in their "Ivory Towers" however in practice they are a sprawling network.

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" -- Roman poet Juvenal wrote that and it translates to, "who watches the watchmen?" The answer is that we all watch the watchmen: The kids, the parents and USA Swimming officials. USA Swimming can't shift responsibility. If and organization is a centralized body that sanctions and certifies coaches or priests as "holy" then they better be "holy." Watchmen will be needed.

When the sex scandals broke both organizations disassociated themselves from them stating that this sort of despicable behavior was an anomaly and they were not the norm and in no way were they responsible for them. Both organizations appeared arrogant, unsympathetic and definitely not grasping the gravity of this fiasco whatsoever.

Consequently, more scandals and revelations have presented themselves and both organizations have been forced to answer allegations with defensive press releases and letters rather than owning the issue beforehand with open air policy meetings, policy edicts, and an constant reporting of their progress via the press.

USA Swimming is not quite at the "event horizon" where it gets sucked into the black hole but they are close enough throw a rock at it.

How do like the poster? I really do believe that art is more effective in getting notice than rhetoric.