USA Table Tennis holds a firm policy that there shall be no sexual abuse tolerated of any minor
involved in USA Table Tennis by any USATT member, employee, volunteer, coach, referee, umpire, 12
official, club director, club owner, club operator, tournament director, USATT contractor, or other
participant.
Sexual Abuse occurs when the offending party touches a minor for the purposes of sexual
gratification or arousal. Sexual abuse will also be deemed to have occurred when a minor touches an
adult employee, volunteer, coach, member or other participant for the purposes of sexual
gratification or arousal for either the minor or the adult if the touching occurs with the consent of the
adult.
Neither consent of the minor, mistake as to the participant’s age, nor the fact that the sexual abuse
did not take place at a USA Table Tennis event are considered defenses. Sexual abuse may also be
between adults, this occurs where sexual interactions take place that are non-consensual or involve
force, coercion or manipulation regardless of the age of the victim. Sexual abuse may also be
between two minors if there is a significant age difference between the two participants, regardless
of the consent or otherwise of the minor(s) involved.
Sexual abuse may consist of one or more of sexual penetration, sexual touching, and non-contact
sexual acts inclusive but not exclusive to exposure, voyeurism, sending sexually explicit electronic
messages or photos (by email or cell phone message or otherwise) to a minor, exposure of minors to
pornography, deliberate exposure of a minor to sexual acts or deliberate exposure of a minor to
inappropriate nudity.
Upon proof of violation of USA Table Tennis’s Sexual Abuse policy the offender will be subject to
appropriate disciplinary action. Normally this action will be a suspension or expulsion from USA Table
Tennis and referral to law enforcement authorities.