DCI and SOA being sued?

[scheherazadesghost]

14 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

So what the bleep is SafeSports function anyway? Appears to be a central place for info that others bring in. Then they tell DCI what was reported?

Does SafeSport or DCI do any investigation that the reports are true? And if the reports are true then who is responsible for setting and dishing out penalties? (Think I know the answer to last question but want someone to verify how stupid the answer is)

SS is the training program only for DCI because they don't have the same status with SS as say, USA Gymnastics does: the "national governing body" moniker and status. I don't know how orgs acquire this status. Again, hoping the new CEO will push in this direction.

AFAIK, anyone can report to SS, but if they aren't under the jurisdiction of an NGB, their report isn't investigated by SS. That individual can only be advised with no follow through, cause SS has to prioritize NGBs.

DCI is the only body with investigatory powers and I'm under the impression they do conduct investigations. I'm aware of one report possibly being investigated, and another couple that went no where. I don't have a sense of what kind of penalties occur, if any. It's likely such penalties are not publicized or transparent.

Again, I welcome anyone with more accurate info to chime in, but most corps orgs tend to get scritchy when I ask these kinds of questions.

[Terri Schehr]

12 minutes ago, kevingamin said:

SafeSport is purely CYA for orgs like DCI.

We have a winner. 🏅 

[kevingamin]

Just now, Terri Schehr said:

We have a winner. 🏅 

I had to take the SafeSport training to march Bloo Alumni in 2022. When I was going to volunteer for Bloo this past season, they wanted me to take a refresher course, but they had run out of codes to do so. They basically told me oh, well, don't worry about it.

And this is one of the more forward thinking drum corps in terms of member safety.

[JimF-LowBari]

8 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

SS is the training program only for DCI because they don't have the same status with SS as say, USA Gymnastics does: the "national governing body" moniker and status. I don't know how orgs acquire this status. Again, hoping the new CEO will push in this direction.

AFAIK, anyone can report to SS, but if they aren't under the jurisdiction of an NGB, their report isn't investigated by SS. That individual can only be advised with no follow through, cause SS has to prioritize NGBs.

DCI is the only body with investigatory powers and I'm under the impression they do conduct investigations. I'm aware of one report possibly being investigated, and another couple that went no where. I don't have a sense of what kind of penalties occur, if any. It's likely such penalties are not publicized or transparent.

Again, I welcome anyone with more accurate info to chime in, but most corps orgs tend to get scritchy when I ask these kinds of questions.

So DCI breaks its arm patting itself on the back that they are connected to SS. But only thing SS provides is a central reporting point. Any investigation and penalties comes from the fox guarding its own chicken coop.

Im going to call DCI the “bean counter and mutual back scratching society”. When discussing penalties for a corps I’m sure losing money at shows comes to mind. And if a BoD member thinks of voting for harsh penalties… well it might be their corps next year so not a great idea.

And when referring to myself I prefer the term “cynic”.

Edited October 11, 2023 by JimF-LowBari

[Terri Schehr]

7 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

So DCI breaks its arm patting itself on the back that they are connected to SS. But only thing SS provides is a central reporting point. Any investigation and penalties comes from the fox guarding its own chicken coop.

Im going to call DCI the “bean counter and mutual back scratching society”. When discussing penalties for a corps I’m sure losing money at shows comes to mind. And if a BoD member thinks of voting for harsh penalties… well it might be their corps next year so not a great idea

If you watched “Cheer”, they used safesport, too, and we know what happened when with them when a cheerleader was assaulted by Jerry Harris.  The mother reported it to safesport and they did nothing.  She finally went mama tiger on them and went to the FBI. 

Edited October 11, 2023 by Terri Schehr

[JimF-LowBari]

3 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

If you watched “Cheer”, they used safesport, too, and we know what happened when with them when a cheerleader was assaulted by Jerry Harris.  The mother reported it to safesport and they did nothing.  She finally went mama tiger on them and went to the FBI.

Have grandnieces around 5 and 7 in a tumbling program. Don’t have the heart to watch Cheer and see the “looks good but does nothing” crap. 🤮

[scheherazadesghost]

9 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

So DCI breaks its arm patting itself on the back that they are connected to SS. But only thing SS provides is a central reporting point. Any investigation and penalties comes from the fox guarding its own chicken coop.

Im going to call DCI the “bean counter and mutual back scratching society”. When discussing penalties for a corps I’m sure losing money at shows comes to mind. And if a BoD member thinks of voting for harsh penalties… well it might be their corps next year so not a great idea.

And when referring to myself I prefer the term “cynic”.

I wouldn't even give SS the credit of being a central reporting point, homeslice. They were kind enough to call me back, but were clear that they couldn't go beyond advising me... no follow through with DCI or the corps. For those survivors that ask me, I still tell them to go to their corps and DCI... after being advised by MAASIN. (And after ensuring they have adequate support from their circles.) Even then, all of those could lead to nowhere and nothing if the reporter didn't keep documentation of the abuse endured.

I fear that in most cases, DCI and corps whistleblower processes merely retraumatize survivors and don't lead to actionable results. When weighing that as a survivor, is it worth it? In my experience, most just say no thanks. And I'm obliged to respect that, given what I've been through myself.

As for penalties, well I just have no info there.

[Terri Schehr]

1 minute ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Have grandnieces around 5 and 7 in a tumbling program. Don’t have the heart to watch Cheer and see the “looks good but does nothing” crap. 🤮

They’ve made more arrests, too. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/02/05/netflix-cheer-athletes-robert-scianna-mitchell-ryan-arrested-sex-misconduct/4406962001/

[Terri Schehr]

The gymnasts assaulted by Larry Nasser were awarded a huge settlement from USA gymnastics. https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/13/us/larry-nassar-gymnastics-settlement/index.html

Edited October 11, 2023 by Terri Schehr

[JimF-LowBari]

11 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

They’ve made more arrests, too. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/02/05/netflix-cheer-athletes-robert-scianna-mitchell-ryan-arrested-sex-misconduct/4406962001/

Well that was puke inducing. And see Tricia’s name on the byline. 👍

Ignoring issues is Personal for me as worked with and friends with a lady caught in the middle of a complaint. Had an older techie who was anti-woman. His history was known but his old co-workers were now managers and thought he couldn’t be replaced. He was checking a project the lady was in charge of and she did most the work. She got told “why are you here I’m sure someone else (male) did the real work”. Our boss had the craps of him so pushed back hard. 
I had to write a witness report on the training he gave years before. The line in question was “I don’t know why women are in this class anyway”. I was a witness, it got reported and swept under the rug. 
He ended up finally retiring (and got fired from his next job for being a jerk to customers)

Edited October 11, 2023 by JimF-LowBari