Dissertation
Optimising Systemic Controls for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in Football in Australia
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/01118
Abstract
Child sexual abuse (CSA) in sport is a longstanding and complex problem. Although awareness and prevention efforts have increased, CSA continues to occur at concerning rates, and current safeguarding approaches remain limited. Existing research has focused on individual-level factors such as perpetrator behaviour, victim vulnerability, and interpersonal dynamics, with comparatively little attention given to the broader sociotechnical systems in which CSA occurs. As a result, there is limited understanding of how organisational structures, governance arrangements, cultural norms, and feedback mechanisms interact to shape safeguarding effectiveness. This thesis aimed to address these limitations by applying and extending systems thinking and Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) methods, traditionally used in safety-critical domains, to the problem of CSA in sport, with a particular focus on football in Australia. The research program was comprised of a systematic review of the literature followed by three sequential empirical studies. The systematic review identified the enabling factors for CSA in sport reported in peer-reviewed research and mapped them using Rasmussen’s Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the AcciMap method. Study 1 extended this work by analysing investigative reports from five Australian sports to examine the extent to which system-level contributors to CSA are recognised in practice and whether the recommendations provided align with systems thinking principles. The findings collectively demonstrated that CSA is influenced by factors across all levels of the sport system. Study 2 developed a Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) control structure of the current safeguarding system in football in Australia, identifying the relevant actors, control mechanisms, and feedback mechanisms that shape the CSA safeguarding system behaviour. Study 3 applied Work Domain Analysis (WDA) to model the functional structure of the current safeguarding system identifying the purposes, values, functions, processes, and physical resources that constrain or enable CSA prevention and management. This model was used in conjunction with the previous study outputs to propose an optimal CSA safeguarding system for football in Australia. The findings collectively demonstrate that CSA in sport is a complex sociotechnical system issue shaped by interactions across multiple levels of the sport system. To understand and address these complex interactions that shape the effectiveness of the CSA safeguarding system, it is essential to adopt systems thinking methods. The thesis contributes new insights by applying a set of complimentary systems thinking-based methods to the CSA in sport context. The results provide a foundation for the development of system-level safeguarding strategies and offer guidance for policymakers, national sporting organisations, and practitioners seeking to improve the prevention and management of CSA in football and the broader sporting sector. The thesis concludes with a general discussion of the theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions of the research, a proposed framework for the optimal safeguarding system, strengths and limitations of the program of research, and recommendations for future applications of systems thinking to CSA prevention and management.
Details
- Title
- Optimising Systemic Controls for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in Football in Australia
- Authors
- Karl Dodd - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Law and Society
- Contributors
- Paul Salmon (Principal Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems ScienceGemma Read (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - PsychologyScott McLean (Consultant Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- DOI
- 10.25907/01118
- Organisation Unit
- School of Law and Society
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991267095902621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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