The Prevalence of Violence Against Children in Organized Sport in Poland

ABSTRACT Although sports participation fosters children's well‐being, it also entails risks of abuse. Research has shown that violence against child athletes is a significant issue, yet data from Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, remain scarce. This study is the first attempt to assess the prevalence of violence in Polish youth sports through a survey of undergraduate students ( n = 693) who participated in organized sports during childhood. Using the Polish adaptation of the Violence Towards Athletes Questionnaire (VTAQ), the survey examined various forms of abuse perpetrated by peers, coaches, parents and other authority figures. The results revealed that 89% of respondents experienced violence in sport at least once, with peer violence being the most common (83%). Abuse by authority figures affected 72% of respondents. Psychological abuse was the most prevalent form (78%), followed by physical and sexual violence. Alarmingly, only 29% of respondents sought help after experiencing abuse. Victimization was significantly associated with self‐destructive behaviours and suicide attempts. These findings underscore the urgent need for safeguarding measures in Polish youth sports, including bullying prevention, monitoring of authority figures and training for sports personnel. The article also compares Polish results with findings from international studies using the same research tool.