Campaigner of the Year
Miss J – End Sexual Misconduct in Sport (ESMIS)
@ESMISscotland @j_and_justice
Miss J outside Scottish Parliament – 23rd March 2023
The End Sexual Misconduct in Sport campaign asks teams to step up, speak up, and stop putting the skill of a player over the safety of survivors. “This is more than just a policy; this is a necessary, national conversation.”
The Campaign
In 2022, Miss J started the End Sexual Misconduct in Sport campaign following multiple decisions by professional sports clubs in Scotland that she says ‘showcased a culture that perpetuates sexual violence through silent complicity – even at times overlooking serious transgressions in favour of skill’.
The campaign published an open letter asking all professional sports teams to put in a place comprehensive sexual misconduct policy which would ensure teams had:
- appropriate training
- clear protocols on how to handle complaints of sexual misconduct and clear guidance on consequences of such behaviour and disciplinary action
- clear channels to report, both externally and internally.
This campaign comes after her own personal experience of sexual violence perpetrated by a professional athlete and exposure to a ‘rape culture’ in sports.
@ESMISscotland @j_and_justice
Sponsored by
Miss J at Scottish Parliament for International Women’s Day – 8th March 2023
I am deeply honoured and profoundly humbled to be shortlisted. This recognition is not just for me but for all the courageous individuals who have stood up against injustice, shared their stories, and worked tirelessly to make the sporting world a safer place for everyone. Being acknowledged by an organisation that celebrates the power and impact of campaigning is a testament to the collective strength and resilience of this conversation. Thank you for this incredible honour and for believing in the importance of my campaign.”
Miss J
Miss J at Scottish Parliament for International Women’s Day – 8th March 2023
I am deeply honoured and profoundly humbled to be shortlisted. This recognition is not just for me but for all the courageous individuals who have stood up against injustice, shared their stories, and worked tirelessly to make the sporting world a safer place for everyone. Being acknowledged by an organisation that celebrates the power and impact of campaigning is a testament to the collective strength and resilience of this conversation. Thank you for this incredible honour and for believing in the importance of my campaign.”
Miss J
The Change
The campaign started with an aim that, in theory, seemed quite straightforward. Sadly, many people were not willing to have this conversation, so she worked closely with White Ribbon Scotland, Scottish Women in Sport, and many other incredible organisations to make the conversation heard.
Publicly, STV conducted a thorough investigation, a Scotland Tonight episode focused on the issue, and Paul O’Kane MSP hosted what is now an annual Parliamentary Roundtable.
Miss J and others met with Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing, and Sport, Maree Todd MSP. With the support of the Scottish Government they continued to push for teams to hear them.
After gaining cross-party support, through persistent emails and a great amount of collaboration, Clyde Football Club implemented the first sexual misconduct policy in December 2023.
Working with Clyde, Miss J helped them to tailor her suggested example policy to fit their organisation and she remains excited to develop that relationship, encouraging more teams to join them. She has also worked with Scottish Rugby, establishing a positive ongoing relationship with them and other teams, to discuss how she can help them.
The Future
The conversation is far from over, but it has gained significant traction and is fostering a positive culture change. Over the next year, Miss J will continue to advocate for all teams to have these policies in place and then support them with continued development to ensure that it is not a tick box exercise.
She has also started conversations with University Sports Unions on ensuring they have effective sexual misconduct policies in place. This is something that she is excited to continue working on.
Who else was involved?
This list is indefinite as this campaign would not be where it is without the incredible support of so many individuals, organisations and projects, not to mention the graft on this issue that went in before this campaign even came along, but special mentions must go to:
White Ribbon Scotland
Scottish Women in Sport
Kyniska Advocacy
The Fair Play Project (GCRC)
EVAW, The Three Hijabis and Level Up who are on the same mission in England.
