Dependency, slowly built up.
At some point the feeling: I have to do it this way and not be allowed to say anything.
"We'll take that to our grave," he is said to have demanded.
Now she, Sinead Farrelly, former soccer player, has decided against it - and in favor of speaking.
The American told the news portal The Athletic of a sexual assault in the hotel room and of extreme heteronomy by coach Paul Riley.
Mana Shim, her former teammate, also experienced this dependency.
The coach is said to have asked both of them to kiss in front of his eyes.
In the National Women's Soccer League there were resignations: coach Riley, the NWSL boss Lisa Baird. The accusation: You knew of incidents and did not act. Richie Burke, Washington Spirit coach, who is said to have psychologically destroyed players. The club's managing partner, Steve Baldwin. Coaches who abuse, those responsible who don't prevent it, a league that has failed.
"Men protecting men who abuse women," tweeted Megan Rapinoe. Since then, a kind of #MeToo movement has emerged among female soccer players. The Venezuelan player Deyna Castellanos made public accusations against her former coach as the spokeswoman for 24 soccer players. The Australian Lisa de Vanna replied to Rapinoe's tweet: "Women who protect women who abuse." She describes bullying, sexual assault and verbal attacks within the Australian women's national team. There was a time when she didn't dare to take a shower. All paint the picture of a toxic culture that hushes up and keeps silent. A culture in which such behavior is not sanctioned. A culture in which only those who actwho had to experience all of this - and who have to live with the psychological consequences.
Because the examples show: powerful protect other powerful, whether they are men or women.
A system based on relationships of dependency makes this handling possible.
Not made to help those who are at stake: the athletes.
Those who depend on coaches, encouragement, referrals and money.
Women in football get less attention, influence and prestige.
In addition, they earn significantly less, just as they do outside of sport.
Now they fight back, trigger this movement.
Women protecting other women in the right way.