Hockey Nova Scotia Launches Mandatory Consent and Hazing Education for U-15 Players
Hockey Nova Scotia and the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre have introduced a mandatory pilot program to educate more than 2,000 under-15 minor hockey players about consent and hazing. The initiative follows sexual assault charges against two young players in Colchester County linked to a team sleepover incident last fall.
Hockey Nova Scotia and the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre are launching a mandatory pilot program designed to educate minor hockey players about consent and hazing. More than 2,000 under-15 players of all genders will participate in the initiative.
The program's launch follows sexual assault charges against two under-15 minor hockey players in Colchester County. The charges stem from a hazing incident that occurred during a team sleepover last fall. One of the accused players changed his plea to guilty last month, while the other pleaded not guilty in May.
Avalon’s director of operations, Kailee Wakeman, stated that the centre received many emails from concerned parents and coaches following the incident. In response, the organization hosted a webinar in February to teach parents and coaches how to discuss consent and hazing with young players. The new pilot program builds on that earlier effort by directing education toward the athletes themselves.
The program aims to teach players how to recognize discrimination, harassment, pressure, hazing, and coercion.