#WeRideTogether, Sports should be the safest and healthiest place for children and young adults to grow and flourish

On this Episode of Horse Talk, Host, Lauren Abbott, sits down with Carrie Kehring, Founder and President of the Board of Directors, and Kathryn McClain, MSW, MBA, Program and Partnerships Director with #WeRideTogether.

#WeRideTogether is a nonprofit organization created to cast light upon the endemic issue of sexual abuse in youth and amateur sports. Their mission is to make the youth and amateur sport environment safer for all athletes. #WeRideTogether believes sports should be the safest and healthiest place for children and young adults to grow and flourish, and that every individual has the right to learn, play, and compete without fear of sexual abuse. They are committed to creating the radical change needed to fulfill that vision by addressing education and awareness, creating a safe place for survivors to find resources and share their voices, and eliminating the stigma around these necessary conversations.

This was a hard conversation to have, but a much needed one. Abbott, Kehring and McClain did not just discuss sexual assault in equestrian sports, but in all sports. As women, mothers, daughters, sisters and as men, fathers, sons, and brothers, please share this podcast with your network of friends, colleagues and fellow parents of youth athletes.

The team at Horse Talk is passionate about this topic and our hope with this conversation is to help share resources with survivors to help their recovery, and guidelines trainers, coaches and team managers can set in place to help discourage grooming and the prevalence of sexual assault and abuse in youth and amateur sports.

We hope you will listen, but most of all share with others. And please know, for anyone affected by abuse, you are not alone.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

Courage First Athlete Helpline: 888-279-1026

LGBT National Help Center: 888-843-4564

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673