Child Abuse in the Canadian and American Olympic Movement: Reforming Institutional Oversight of Amateur Sports

For many years, sexual abuse of young athletes quietly festered throughout amateur sport organizations in Canada and the United States. However, the veil has recently been lifted by the highly publicized testimonies of athletes sexually abused as minors by disgraced former USA Gymnastics (“USAG”) physician and Michigan State University professor Larry Nassar. The troubling details of these stories spurred investigations seeking to identify the causes behind the institutional failures to intervene in Nassar’s perpetration of abuse. The evidence gathered by these investigations alongside independent academic research reveal that unfettered predatory behaviour is a pervasive issue across the institutions responsible for overseeing the American Olympic movement and amateur sports. In addition, similar patterns of unchecked abuse have since been identified as plaguing Canadian Olympic and amateur sport organizations. This paper examines the institutional failures to address child sexual abuse occurring under the oversight of Olympic and amateur sport organizations in Canada and the United States. In both countries, efforts are currently underway to reform governance of these institutions to better protect minors participating in amateur sports. Accordingly, this paper also analyzes the policies implemented thus far and makes substantive recommendations on ideal federal level initiatives.

Gender Roles in Intimate Relationships: Who Initiates and Why?

The gender roles of men and women are continuously changing in heterosexual relationships alongside the ever-increasing flexibility and variation of preferences, choice, agency, and individual needs. This paper delves into the role tradition plays between men and women in intimate relationships regarding marriage proposals and surname changes, as well as which sex initiates more when it comes to physical intimacy, emotional intimacy, and long-term commitment.

Survey of Employability Skills Possessed by Undergraduates in Kwara State, Nigeria

Graduate unemployment has been a continual challenge in Nigerian society due to graduates’ inability to meet up with the current expectations of the labour market. These worries have been given serious attention in the present labour market. The employers, school authorities and policymakers continue to emphasize the importance of ‘employability skills’ in order for graduates to be fully equipped in meeting the challenges of an increasingly flexible labour market as these skills are rarely taught in the school. This study surveyed the employability skills possessed by undergraduates in Kwara state, Nigeria while the target population was undergraduates at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the level of employability skills, the perceived factors influencing the employability of undergraduates, the extent of self-development skills and job searching techniques as well as the interview skills possessed by undergraduates. Descriptive research based on survey design was employed. A sample of 353 students were drawn from a population of 4,362 students who participated as respondents. The Survey of Employability Skills of Undergraduates Questionnaire (SESUQ) was used as an instrument for data collection and the instrument's reliability coefficient of 0.82, 0.84, 0.86 and 0.76 were obtained via Cronbach Alpha. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were employed for analysis. The results obtained signify that the employability level of undergraduates at the University of Ilorin was at an average level. Among others, a recommendation was made that the University management should, as a matter of urgency, create a graduate employability programme that includes such employability techniques as interview skills, job searching skills, entrepreneurial skills and self-development skills.

LGBQT+ Individuals: How Do Their Relationships Compare with Heterosexual Couples?

LGBTQ+ individuals are a diverse group of people who have relationships that are equally as valuable as heterosexual individuals. By comparing the two groups, many similarities and differences become apparent. When examining LGBTQ+ relationships, one can identify many benefits and also many challenges. Overall, LGBTQ+ identities and relationships are fulfilling, complex, and valid.

Issues and Challenges of, Factors that Affect, and the Primary Influences of Parents’ Decisions to Vaccinate their Adolescents: A Case of a Local National High School in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

Vaccines are considered to be the center of the prevention and management of viral diseases. Even with the wide acceptance that vaccines are safe, vaccine hesitancy is still rampant in various parts of the world. Several historical, social, religious, and moral factors were identified and observed to have influence parent’s vaccine acceptance or hesitance. Parent’s vaccine hesitance or acceptance is crucial since adolescents constitute the ideal group for immunization. This study aims to uncover the issues and challenges of parents on vaccination, the factors that affect their decision to vaccinate their children, and parents' primary influences to vaccinate their children. A descriptive-survey research design utilizing a questionnaire floated to parents of adolescents in a local high school. It was found out that the level of education and type of occupation was significantly associated with parent's decision to vaccinate their children. The major issue and challenge of parents toward vaccination is that they don't find vaccines important and have a high level of distrust towards the government's health agency and medical professionals. The primary factor affecting their decision-making is the negative news on vaccination and vaccine safety. Respondents also reported that even they distrust the government's health agency, they still consider it influential towards their vaccine decision-making. With this, it is recommended that efforts be strengthened in restoring the public's trust towards the government health agency to address vaccine hesitancy.

From the Periphery to the Center: Young People's Agonistic Pathways Towards Higher Education

The present research analyzes the mobilities of young people from the periphery of Rio de Janeiro towards a renowned university situated in a central region of the city. Focusing on a case study with four students, we carried out an in-depth investigation of the dynamics of their professional trajectories. Their personal identifications and values, their future career expectations and the pressures and the demands of attending such a university were investigated. Three focus groups meetings were organized with these students. The results show that the displacement from home to the university, social and racial segregation, and arduous academic demands are factors that pose enormous difficulties to these students and require intense psychological work on their part to persist in their educational investment. Intense conflicts with regards to living up to their ideals characterize an agonistic pathway in their educational endeavor. On the other hand, the prestige of the university, family influence and the belief in upward social mobility were found to support these young people’s decision not to give up. This contradictory dynamic, riddled with uncertainties, mobilizes these young people to find a way to permanently renovate their personal stakes in higher education.

The Give and Take of Mental Health and Romantic Relationships

This paper examines the impact of mental health on romantic relationships using a symbolic interactionist approach. Specifically, this paper will focus on the dimensions of anxiety/attachment, depression, and mastery/self-esteem and how they impact romantic relationships. The impact of these dimensions is not always negative; some of the aspects can have a positive impact on relationships.

Marital Adjustment and Communication Styles Among Married Adults in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

This study examined the marital adjustment and communication styles among married adults in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population consists of married adults in Ilorin, Kwara State. Two research questions were raised and four null hypotheses were postulated in the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire tagged ‘Relationship between Marital Adjustment and Communication Styles Questionnaire’ (RMACSQ). Data analysis was done using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The result obtained revealed that there was a high level of marital adjustment among married adults in Ilorin, Kwara State. Married adults in Ilorin Kwara State adopt good communication styles in marriage. There was no significant relationship between marital adjustment and communication styles of married adults in Kwara State based on age, gender and educational status. There was a significant relationship between marital adjustment and communication styles among married adults in Kwara State on the basis of years of marriage. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that seminars and conferences should be organized for married adults in other to enlighten them on the challenges of marital relationships. This would enable them to adjust and communicate better in their new home.