Opinion |

Women’s soccer is latest chapter in #MeToo saga

Back in May, I wrote that it seemed to be the “best of times” for women’s soccer in the U.S. I made that pronouncement after hearing about the landmark collective bargaining agreement between the unions representing the women’s and men’s national soccer teams.

The agreement gave women and men equal economic opportunity in terms of tournament bonuses, appearances fees and other forms of compensation. For women, it meant a bump in earnings of as much as 49 percent.

But holding true to the full Charles Dickens quote — “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” — there is a dark side to the U.S. women’s soccer story. A very dark side.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Soccer Federation and the National Women’s Soccer League were implicated for their failure to provide a safe environment for players and repeatedly ignoring allegations of abuse and inappropriate behavior by coaches over many years.

The investigation was led by former acting Attorney General Sally Yates and a team of attorneys. They interviewed more than 200 players, coaches, owners and front-office staff and reviewed thousands of documents.

Their report said, “Teams, the league, and the federation not only repeatedly failed to respond appropriately when confronted with player reports and evidence of abuse, they also failed to institute basic measures to prevent and address it, even as some leaders privately acknowledged the need for workplace protections.” The misbehavior was described as an “open secret” that existed for years, enabled by systems that left players voiceless and unprotected.

Here we go again: another report of women being abused in the workplace, precisely five years after the Harvey Weinstein news broke.

Weinstein, a producer, was considered one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. An investigation led by two New York Times reporters revealed allegations against him — including sexual harassment and unwanted physical contact — spanning nearly three decades.

The revelation marked the unofficial start of the #MeToo movement, although the term was coined more than a decade prior. It shined a light on the pervasiveness of sexual harassment — not just in the movie industry, but across society.

In 2020, Weinstein was convicted in New York on charges of criminal sexual acts and rape in the third degree. His second criminal trial began in Los Angeles last week.

In the five years since publication of the Times’ story, there have been strides and setbacks in the fight against sexual harassment in workplaces. Companies of various sizes and industries pledged to do better, reviewing their sexual harassment policies and revamping anti-harassment training programs.

At the same time, state lawmakers launched efforts to reform workplace anti-harassment laws. According to the National Women’s Law Center, 22 states and the District of Columbia have passed a total of more than 70 workplace anti-harassment bills, many with bipartisan support.

But progress has been uneven, as we learned in the report about U.S. women’s soccer. It was commissioned following a story that ran in The Athletic, which alleged verbal and sexual misconduct by former NWSL head coach Paul Riley.

Riley, it turns out, was a serial abuser. He was fired by the Portland Thorns after a player complained of repeated harassment, although the reasons for his departure from the team weren’t disclosed. He wasn’t disciplined by the league, either. He went on to become the coach of the North Carolina Courage, where his abusive behavior continued.

Riley finally lost his job and coaching license last year.

According to the Yates report, Riley wasn’t the only problem coach to move from team to team. A systemwide culture of silence — and fears of retaliation — enabled the moves. Players had nowhere to turn: For years, the league operated without a commissioner and most teams had no human resources department — or even an anonymous reporting line.

The report included a list of recommendations to improve player safety. It will mean, in part, empowering players to speak up when they see or experience potentially harmful interactions or situations. It will also mean responding appropriately to reports of abuse and holding offenders accountable. These are table stakes in a professional, respectful work environment.

Circumstances will improve for women in soccer, just as they’ve improved for women in some workplaces across the country. But real progress won’t happen until we acknowledge and address the power of patriarchy in America.

It will be difficult. But once we do, the best of times awaits us all.

Dinkin is president of the National Conflict Resolution Center, a San Diego-based group working to create solutions to challenging issues, including intolerance and incivility. To learn about NCRC’s programming, visit ncrconline.com