Prevention of interpersonal and sexualized violence in sport
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UNISport and IfSS adopt joint position paper on the prevention of interpersonal and sexualized violence
*This position paper was written by Dr. Julia Limmeroth and Dr. Lisa Claußen on behalf of the Institute of Sport and Sport Science and UNISport at the University of Kassel and adopted by the Board of Directors on April 29, 2026.
UNISport is sending a clear signal: with the joint adoption, together with the Institute of Sport and Sport Science (IfSS), of the institute's own position paper on the prevention of interpersonal and sexualized violence in sport, we are committed to a safe, respectful and non-discriminatory environment - in teaching, research and in university sport, exercise and health operations.
The position paper was adopted by the IfSS Board of Directors on April 29, 2026 and is aimed at all employees, teaching staff and students of the institute as well as the trainers and members of UNISport.
Taking a stand: structurally and visibly
"The Institute takes a clear stance against all forms of interpersonal violence, especially sexualized violence, discrimination and abuse of power," reads the preamble to the document. This not only formulates an attitude, but also creates an institutional framework that defines concrete measures, protective structures and responsibilities.
It is based on the University of Kassel's internal guidelines as well as current scientific findings from (sports) science and violence prevention.
Sport as a space of risk and protection
The position paper explicitly recognizes that abuse of power and violence can also occur in university sports, teaching and academic life. It identifies specific risk areas, including supervisory relationships between teachers and students, physical teaching formats, excursions, major events and hierarchical relationships in sporting activities, and calls for these to be specifically addressed through context-specific protection concepts.
For UNISport, this means The Code of Ethics, which has been mandatory since 2022, should be consistently integrated into all course offerings, trainer contracts and information materials. Regular training, clear reporting channels and feedback processes should ensure that prevention does not remain on paper, but is practiced in everyday university sports.
Next steps: From attitude to practice
The position paper concludes with a binding action plan:
- Signature campaign for employees and students as a visible commitment
- Appointment and announcement of trained contact persons for IfSS and UNISport
- Carrying out a risk analysis as the basis for a comprehensive protection concept for the institute
- Integration of the topic into teaching, training and university structures
Support and contact points
Those affected and those seeking advice can contact the University of Kassel's advice and complaints offices, including the Women's and Equal Opportunities Officer and the AGG Complaints Office. Sports-specific support is offered by external bodies such as Safe Sport e.V. Outside the university, for example, the specialist advice center faX in Kassel can be contacted.
Contact for queries: safesport[at]uni-kassel[dot]de