#16: Emma Thomas: Safeguarding in Combat Sports
Emma (she/her) is a safeguarding specialist in Muay Thai, a survivor-advocate, and founder of Under the Ropes, through which she’s been writing about gendered issues in Muay Thai, and advocating for gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence in the sport since 2013. She recently completed a master’s degree in Sports Ethics & Integrity, through which she conducted the world’s first study on women’s experiences of sexual harassment and abuse in Muay Thai. She’s a trustee board member at Safe Sport International, a UK-based charity working to advance safeguarding standards in sport globally. She’s also qualified as a safeguarding officer, and is currently undertaking the International Olympic Committee’s Safeguarding Officer in Sport programme. Now, she’s providing safeguarding consultancy services to help Muay Thai (and other combat sports) gyms implement safeguarding protocols, and for sports federations to advance survivor-centred approaches.
To find all the links mentioned: https://undertheropes.com/resources/safe-sport-community-library/
Connect with Emma: https://undertheropes.com/contact/
To work with Emma on your safeguarding approach:
https://undertheropes.com/work-with-me
To get involved with the Conscious Combat Club:
- Visit our site https://www.consciouscombat.club/
- Support Rounds 4 Respect https://rounds4respect.org/
- Join the waitlist for Melbourne classes https://www.consciouscombat.club/naarm
- Become a conscious combat coach https://www.consciouscombat.club/coaching
- Join our mailing list "Mat Chat' https://www.consciouscombat.club/mat-chat
- Join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/640626287248147
SUPPORT LINKS:
Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need:
Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support
Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/
Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/
DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7)
QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) – https://qlife.org.au/
Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7)
http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp
Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified female survivors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga
