Our Projects
Our goal is to end sexual assault against young athletes by ensuring perpetrators and enablers are held accountable, creating transparency in reporting, building an environment in which athletes do not fear retaliation when reporting abuse, and advocating for change to protect survivors. We support sexual violence survivors and change society through advocacy, education, and resources.
To learn more about our past projects and what we’ve accomplished, visit Our Impact.
ongoing projects
TAOS Programming
resource development
Our organization creates and disseminates resources for athletes, athlete survivors, and others impacted by abuse. Materials are also created to support anyone in the sports ecosystem on the issue of abuse in sports.
- Create resource materials for athlete survivors, secondary survivors, allies, and community specific to the abuse in sport context
- Create a network and collaborate with athlete survivors nationally and globally
- Coordinate and collaborate with allied agencies and organizations to create resources
- Host Survivor Speak Outs and networking events for athletes
- Aggregate existing resources for survivors of sexual violence within sports
Our organization proudly developed many resources for survivors. Check out the “Resources” and “Support” tabs to find our public resources.
The Army of Survivors has also worked to create a Child Athlete Bill of Rights because we believe every child athlete has the right to be SAFE. That means:
- SAY “NO”: You have the right to say “no” in unwanted situations.
- ACT: You have the right to disclose and act when something doesn’t feel right.
- FEEL: You have the right to express your feelings and emotions and receive support.
- EDUCATE: You have the right to understand what abuse is and how to report it.
technical assistance
Our organization has offered technical assistance to many national and international companies and institutions including FIFA, National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA), World Players Association, International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Apple.
Advocacy
TAOS works to advocate for trauma-informed state, national, and international laws and policies that support survivors of sexual abuse in sports through the following methods:
- Participate in legislative advocacy including reforming laws related to sexual assault of minors
- Garner public support for and promote athletes’ rights
- Elevate survivor voices in advocacy efforts
- Create public awareness of the prevalence of sexual violence in sport, prevention methods, and safeguarding best practices
- Promote best practices and policies for sports institutions and governing bodies to implement in order to safeguard athletes
Compassionate Coach®
The Compassionate Coach® curriculum was developed by TAOS in partnership with athletes and athlete survivors of abuse as well as leading experts in institutional courage, trauma-informed care, and player-centered coaching. This 8-week virtual interactive course educates coaches on understanding trauma, how it affects child athletes, how to recognize it, and how to appropriately adjust their coaching style to create a safe and secure sporting environment. If you are interested in joining a future cohort of Compassionate Coach™, please complete the interest form.
Trauma-Informed Survivor Advocacy Training
TAOS created the Trauma-informed Survivor Advocacy Training, where athletes and athlete survivors learn about the legislative process, and how to support athlete survivor voices to drive policy agendas in interrupting and ending sexual violence.
Trauma-Informed Media Training
Our organization has supported survivors with media training. During these sessions, athletes and athlete survivors learned how to advocate for themselves during media interviews, and learned what to expect should a reporter request an interview.
Survivor Speakouts
We hold virtual Survivor Speak Outs, providing a safe and supportive virtual space for survivors to share their stories and find support. These events are trauma-informed and give survivors a platform to take the power back by telling their story.
Partnerships, Coalitions & Movement Making
TAOS is a proud member of the Brave Movement, a global network of advocates, organizations, and non-profits in order to start a global movement to end sexual violence against children and adolescents.
TAOS worked in partnership with Child USA to launch and disseminate a Child Athlete Bill of Rights. The partnership launched digital ads in order to spread awareness about the pervasiveness of abuse in sport, and inspired the action of hundreds of parents, survivors, and allies to urge their communities to adopt the Child Athlete Bill of Rights and safeguarding policies. We are still currently working to encourage sports organizations to incorporate the Bill of Rights into their daily work and policies.
The Sport & Rights Alliance is an unprecedented global coalition of leading NGOs and trade unions working together to embed human rights and anti-corruption across world sport. The Army of Survivors joined the Sport & Rights Alliance to elevate the voices of survivors of abuse globally.
International Safeguards for Children in Sport Coalition
As a part of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport Coalition, we work to encourage organizations to protect children whenever and wherever they play sport by providing guidance and support in developing safeguarding policy. The Army of Survivors is also a part of the Advisory Group for the coalition, where we work to guide the strategic visioning and long-term planning of the group.
Safe Sport International
As an active member of both the Safe Sport International (SSI) Advisory Committee and the SSI Athlete Voice for Safe Sport Group, TAOS contributes to strategic visioning and long-term planning, ensuring that athlete perspectives are central to SSI’s initiatives. This partnership underscores TAOS’s commitment to amplifying athlete voices and enhancing safeguarding practices in sports globally.
