On February 5 and 6 partners in the European project VOICE met for the kick-off meeting in Cologne, Germany. VOICE – Voices for truth and dignity focuses on combatting sexualised violence in sport through the voices of those affected. EUSA was represented at the meeting by Mr Andrej Pisl, Communications and Projects Manager.

Participants in the meeting went through the background, overall aims of the project, project structure, deadlines, as well as discussing the individual work packages including the research of the voices of those affected, hearing the victims and survivors of sexual violence in sport, exchange of good practice, production of educational material and knowledge transfer to promote sustainable change.



The objective of the project is to raise awareness and enhance sports community’s capacity to recognise and combat sexual violence and strengthen integrity in sport. VOICE will generate crucial research data on sexual violence in sport by listening to the accounts of those that have been affected by sexual violence in sport. Knowledge-exchange opportunities will develop relevant educational resources.



The project runs between January 2016 and June 2018, lead by German Sport University Cologne, partnered by eight other universities – Edge Hill University (GBR), University of Ljubljana (SLO), University of Southern Denmark (DEN), University of Debrecen (HUN), University of Vienna (AUT), University of Antwerp and Thomas More College (BEL), University of Vic (ESP) and sports organisations – European University Sports Association (EUSA), Youth section of the European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation (ENGSO Youth), European Paralympic Committee (EPC) and the European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF). Each university is also partnered by a national sports body and a national child protection / victim support organisation. VOICE is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. EUSA participation in the project is partially supported by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).



The official project website is being currently established; in the meantime please see our page for more information.