Report a Concern / 13.03

U.S. Soccer is the National Governing Body of soccer in the United States. US Club Soccer is a National Association member of U.S. Soccer and works closely with U.S. Soccer on safeguarding efforts.

US Club Soccer shares applicable reports it receives with U.S. Soccer, but you may also report allegations of abuse or misconduct to U.S. Soccer directly.

• For more information:  Reporting & Jurisdiction FAQ web page on U.S. Soccer’s Participant Safety Hub
• To report a concern to U.S. Soccer, please visit: https://ussoccer.i-sight.com/portal

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (“the Center”) is an independent non-profit organization responsible for responding to and preventing emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct and abuse in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.

Anyone can make a report to the Center of abuse or misconduct relating to someone in the Movement, but the following allegations are required to be reported to the Center:

• Child abuse
• Sexual misconduct
• Misconduct related to reporting, in which the underlying allegation involves child abuse or sexual misconduct
• Aiding and abetting, when it relates to the Center’s process
• Misconduct related to the Center’s process
• Other Inappropriate Conduct, as defined by the Center

The Center may also accept reports of emotional and physical misconduct (including bullying, hazing, stalking, and harassment).

US Club Soccer is a “National Member Organization (NMO)” pursuant to SafeSport Code and therefore outside the Response and Resolution jurisdiction of the Center. However, in support of collective safeguarding efforts, and because US Club Soccer members may otherwise be subject to the Center’s response and resolution via affiliations with other organizations or a U.S. Soccer coach license, US Club Soccer still shares applicable reports it receives with the Center and otherwise encourages reports to be made directly to the Center.

• For more information, or to make a report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, please visit https://uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/.

There may be times when concerns are applicable for law enforcement to handle.

In addition, pursuant to the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (the “SafeSport Act”), all mandatory reporters are required to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, within 24 hours to the local law enforcement agency or local child protective services agency that has jurisdiction to investigate reports of child abuse or to protect child abuse victims, or to the FBI. This requirement applies to, among others, all Participants as described in US Club Soccer Policy 13.01.

The reporting obligation is triggered when a mandatory reporter becomes aware of “facts that give reason to suspect” a child has suffered an incident of child abuse.

• Mandatory reporter includes any “adult who is authorized, by a national governing body, a member of a national governing body, or an amateur sports organization that participates in interstate or international amateur athletic competition, to interact with a minor or amateur athlete at an amateur sports organization facility or at any event sanctioned by a national governing body, a member of a national governing body, or such an amateur sports organization.”
  
  
• Child abuse includes physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment of a child.
  
  
• Sexual abuse is defined to include the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a child to engage in, or assist another person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct or the rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children or incest with children.
  
  
• Mental injury means harm to a child’s psychological or intellectual functioning which may be exhibited by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal or outward aggressive behavior, or a combination of those behaviors, which may be demonstrated by a change in behavior, emotional response or cognition.

Your state or local jurisdiction may also have reporting requirements for certain types of concerns (especially child abuse and neglect).

Two useful resources:

• RAINN State Law Database
• Child Welfare Information Gateway State Statutes Search