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Abstract: »Child sexual abuse (CSA) affects one in four people in Australia, and can have devastating impacts including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide. CSA occurs not only in intra-familial but institutional contexts, thriving where offenders recognise protection and response systems are not sufficiently robust. An important understudied institutional sector is sport, an industry typified by decentralisation and resistance to regulatory incursion. Within the sporting sector, some sports pose particularly high risks, meaning strong CSA prevention policies are essential. Gymnastics is one of these, with risk factors including predominantly young female participants, strong gendered norms, brief attire, physical contact for instruction and treatment, coaching practices that provide ample opportunities for isolating victims, and cultures of retribution for those who report abuse.«
Gymnastics Australia (GA) has 211,482 members, noting 79% are female and 72% are athletes under the age of 13. 1 This membership profile, the inherent risk factors posed by gymnastics, and the devastating impacts of CSA make this wicked problem one that needs to be addressed with urgency, including by means of robust CSA prevention policies. The Australian Gymnastic Federation (AGF) – as it was then known – first introduced a formal CSA prevention policy in December 2000. From this time, the AGF and then GA has produced multiple versions of policies that assist in protecting children from CSA. However, little is known about the progress over time of these CSA prevention policies. No scholar has conducted a comprehensive, rigorous analysis of their development over time and no researcher has examined their nature and robustness.
In this thesis I addressed this evidentiary gap by investigating and addressing two research questions. The first research question asked how Gymnastics Australia’s CSA prevention policies have developed over time. Here, I conducted a historical comparative analysis of 24 CSA prevention policies to identify key developments that have occurred, and enduring absences. The second research question examined the quality of these policies. Here, I conducted a content analysis of the same policies using Sandy Wurtele’s CSA Assessment Tool (the Wurtele tool) as an evaluative standard to measure robustness.
Critical findings from the historical comparative analysis include that while policies have become more complex and comprehensive over time, progress has not been linear; that the policies have been susceptible to cycles of improvement, maintenance, stagnation, and regression. Important findings from the content analysis of GA policies using the Wurtele tool are that despite an improved knowledge base on how to prevent and respond to CSA, several key early policy features have been removed including statements about governance values, the mandate to employ a host of screening measures to complement regulatory requirements, and a new lack of guidance on how personnel should respond to CSA disclosures.
Overall, this thesis advances scientific knowledge about the development of CSA prevention policy in the high-risk organisational setting of gymnastics. Findings can inform this particular industry’s next steps towards aligning future CSA prevention policies with more robust approaches and serve as a guide for other high-risk settings. (Source: Thesis)

Contents:

	Keywords (p. i
	Acknowledgments (p. ii
	Abstract (p. v)
	List of Tables (p. xii)
	List of Figures (p. xii)
	List of Abbreviations (p. xiii
	List of Abbreviations (p. xiii)
	Acknowledgements to First Nations (p. xiv)
	Chapter 1: Introduction (p. 1)
	1.1 Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) (p. 1)
	1.2 CSA In Gymnastics (p. 21)
	1.3 Key Gymnastics and Sports Bodies Explained (p. 27)
	1.4 CSA In Australian Gymnastics (p. 2)
	1.5 Gaps in Scientific Knowledge (p. 43)
	1.6 Thesis Purpose (p. 44)
	1.7 Thesis Research Questions (p. 44)
	1.8 Research Design and Methods (p. 45)
		1.8.1 Chapter Two: Scoping Review Methods (p. 45)
		1.8.2 Research Methods Employed for Research Question 1 (p. 50)
		1.8.3 Research Methods Employed for Research Question 2 (p. 55)
		1.8.4 Positionality and Bias (p. 65)
	1.9 Thesis Structure (p. 69)
	1.10 Original Contributions to Knowledge (p. 69)
	Chapter 2: Literature Review (p. 73)
	2.1 Introduction (p. 73)
		2.1.1 Prevalence of CSA in Sport (p. 76)
		2.1.2 Prevalence of CSA in Gymnastics (p. 78)
		2.1.3 Prevalence of CSA in Australian Sport (p. 80)
		2.1.4 Prevalence of CSA in Australian Gymnastics (p. 82)
	2.2 Risk Considerations for CSA Prevention Policies (p. 83)
		2.2.1 Risk Considerations for CSA Prevention Policies in Sport (p. 83)
		2.2.2 Risk Considerations for CSA Prevention Policies in Gymnastics (p. 86)
		2.2.3 Risk Considerations for CSA Prevention Policies in Australian Sport (p. 92)
		2.2.4 Risk Considerations for CSA Prevention Policies in Australian Gymnastics (p. 93)
	2.3 CSA Prevention Policies (p. 108)
		2.3.1 CSA Prevention Policies in Sport (p. 108)
		2.3.2 CSA Prevention Policies in Gymnastics (p. 122)
		2.3.3 CSA Prevention Policies in Australian Sport (p. 127)
		2.3.4 CSA Prevention Policies in Australian Gymnastics (p. 133)
	2.4 Conclusion (p. 136)
	Chapter 3: RQ1 Results (p. 136)
	3.1 Introduction (p. 136)
	3.2 First Wave Analysis (MPPv1 2000) (p. 138)
		3.2.1 Orientation (p. 138)
		3.2.2 Categories, Themes and Items (p. 139)
	3.3 Second Wave Analysis (MPPv4 2007) (p. 147)
		3.3.1 Orientation (p. 147)
		3.3.2 Categories, Themes and Items (p. 150)
	3.4 Third Wave Analysis (MPP v8 2015) (p. 163)
		3.4.1 Orientation (p. 163)
		3.4.2 Categories, Themes and Items (p. 165)
	3.5 Fourth Wave Analysis (MPPv11 2019) (p. 175)
		3.5.1 Orientation (p. 175)
		3.5.2 Categories, Themes and Items (p. 178)
	3.6 Fifth Wave Analysis (MPPv13 2022) (p. 192)
		3.6.1 Orientation (p. 192)
		3.6.2 Categories, themes and items (p. 193)
	3.7 Sixth Wave Analysis (MPPv14 2024) (p. 207)
		3.7.1 Orientation (p. 207)
		3.7.2 Categories, themes and items (p. 210)
	3.8 Conclusion (p. 221)
	Chapter 4: RQ2 Results (p. 225)
	4.1 Introduction (p. 225)
	4.2 First Wave Policy Exemplar (MPPv1) 2000 (p. 225)
		4.2.1 General standards (p. 225)
		4.2.2 Safe Screening and Hiring Practices (p. 227)
		4.2.3 Codes of Conduct (p. 228)
		4.2.4 Implementing and Monitoring (p. 229)
		4.2.5 Ensuring Safe Environs (p. 231)
		4.2.6 Investigating and Reporting Concerns (p. 232)
		4.2.7 Training and Education Programs (p. 234)
	4.3 Second Wave Policy Exemplar (MPPV4) 2007 (p. 234)
		4.3.1 General Standards (p. 235)
		4.3.2 Safe Screening and Hiring Practices (p. 236)
		4.3.3 Codes of Conduct (p. 238)
		4.3.4 Implementing and Monitoring (p. 239)
		4.3.5 Ensuring Safe Environs MPPv4 (p. 241)
		4.3.6 Investigating and Reporting Concerns (p. 242)
		4.3.7 Training and Education Programs MPPv4 (p. 246)
	4.4 Third Wave Policy Exemplar (MPPV8) 2015 (p. 246)
		4.4.1 General Standards (p. 246)
		4.4.2 Safe Screening and Hiring Practices (p. 248)
		4.4.3 Codes of Conduct (p. 250)
		4.4.4 Implementation and Monitoring (p. 253)
		4.4.5 Ensuring Safe Environs MPPv8 (p. 255)
		4.4.6 Investigating and reporting concerns MPPv8 (p. 256)
		4.4.7 Training and Education Programs (p. 259)
	4.5 Fourth Wave Policy Exemplar (MPPV11) 2019 (p. 259)
		4.5.1 General Standards MPPv11 (p. 259)
		4.5.2 Safe Screening and Hiring Practices MPPv11 (p. 262)
		4.5.3 Codes of Conduct (p. 263)
		4.5.4 Implementing and Monitoring (p. 264)
		4.5.5 Ensuring Safe Environs (p. 267)
		4.5.6 Investigating and Reporting Concerns (p. 268)
		4.5.7 Training and Education Programs (p. 273)
	4.6 Fifth Wave Policy Exemplar (MPPV13) 2022 (p. 273)
		4.6.1 General Standards (p. 274)
		4.6.2 Safe Screening and Hiring Practices (p. 276)
		4.6.3 Codes of Conduct (p. 277)
		4.6.4 Implementing and Monitoring (p. 279)
		4.6.5 Ensuring Safe Environs (p. 282)
		4.6.6 Investigating and Reporting Concerns (p. 283)
		4.6.7 Training and Education Programs (p. 286)
	4.7 Sixth Wave Policy Exemplar (MPPv14) 2024 (p. 286)
		4.7.1 General Standards (p. 287)
		4.7.2 Safe Screening and Hiring Practices (p. 289)
		4.7.3 Codes of Conduct (p. 292)
		4.7.4 Implementing and Monitoring (p. 296)
		4.7.5 Ensuring Safe Environs (p. 299)
		4.7.6 Investigating and Reporting Concerns (p. 300)
		4.7.7 Training and Education Programs (p. 304)
	4.8 Summary of Results (p. 304)
		4.8.1 First Wave (p. 305)
		4.8.2 Second Wave (p. 305)
		4.8.3 Third Wave (p. 306)
		4.8.4 Fourth Wave (p. 309)
		4.8.5 Fifth Wave (p. 311)
		4.8.6 Sixth Wave (p. 314)
		4.8.7 Conclusion (p. 316)
	Chapter 5: Discussion (p. 318)
	5.1 Introduction (p. 318)
	5.2 RQ1: Historical Comparative Policy Analysis (p. 318)
		5.2.1 Governance: Explicit Values (p. 318)
		5.2.2 Governance: Athlete/Child Empowerment (p. 320)
		5.2.3 Governance: Risk Management (p. 323)
		5.2.4 Prevention: Behavioural Codes (Parents) (p. 327)
		5.2.5 Prevention: Induction (p. 330)
		5.2.6 Accountability: Scope (p. 332)
		5.2.7 Accountability: Receiving Disclosures (p. 336)
		5.2.8 Transparency: Disciplinary Register (p. 338)
	5.3 RQ2: Application of Wurtele’s Framework (p. 341)
		5.3.1 General Standards: Policy Dissemination (p. 341)
		5.3.2 Screening: Recruitment Practices (p. 343)
		5.3.3 Education and/or Training (p. 345)
		5.3.4 Codes of Conduct: Directors (p. 347)
		5.3.5 Input From Constituents: Survivors (p. 349)
		5.3.6 Implementation: The Omnipresent Administrator (p. 353)
		5.3.7 Implementation: Monitoring and Audits (p. 355)
		5.3.8 Investigations and Apologies (p. 357)
	5.4 Study Limitations (p. 360)
	5.5 Summary of Original Contributions to the Literature (p. 362)
	Chapter 6: Conclusion (p. 364)
	Bibliography (p. 369)
	Appendices (p. 397)
	Appendix A Gymnastics CSA Charges and Convictions (p. 397)
		Early ASC Abuse-Related Research (p. 403)
	Appendix B Correspondence (p. 409)
		Request for Policies and Complete Set Obtained (p. 409)
	Appendix C Wurtele’s Tool (p. 411)
	Appendix D ASC Recognition Criteria September 2025 (p. 418)
		National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) (p. 418)
	Appendix E Wurtele Tool – First Draft Responses (p. 424)
		1. First Wave MPP v1 (p. 424)
		2. Second Wave MPP v4 (p. 430)
		3. Third Wave MPP v8 (p. 437)
		4. Fourth Wave MPP v11 (p. 444)
		5. Fifth Wave MPP v13 (p. 461)
		6. Sixth Wave MPP v14 (p. 478)

Wikipedia: History of Oceania: History of Australia / History of Australia (1945–present) | Sex and the law: Child sexual abuse / Abuse in gymnastics, Child sexual abuse in Australia