Sport and recovery: what four European countries reveal

Sport and recovery: what four European countries reveal

Can sport help women recover after sexual violence? Through national analyses conducted in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Portugal, the SAFE project explores how physical activity is currently used, or overlooked, as a tool for healing.

Across the four countries, sport-for-health is gaining recognition, but trauma- and violence-informed approaches remain limited and unevenly developed. While most professionals acknowledge the benefits of adapted physical activity, few programmes are specifically designed for women survivors of sexual violence, and training on trauma is still scarce.

Despite different national contexts, one finding stands out: fencing consistently emerges as a relevant and empowering practice when delivered in a safe, trauma-informed framework.

Together, the four analyses highlight both a shared gap and a shared opportunity, to make sport not only safer, but truly supportive of recovery.

Discover the analyses

🇧🇪 Belgique

🇫🇷 France

🇱🇺 Luxembourg

🇵🇹 Portugal