OHL teaching its players to respect women

The Ontario Hockey League is launching mandatoryprogramming to teach players the importance of having respectful relationships with women.

League vice-president Ted Baker confirmed the plans with CBC on Friday, saying the program will start with two OHL teams in September with plans to expandleague wide by November.

• WHL Player Impact Program to help players off the ice

Training will be provided to players by sexual assault centres in those communities.

League officials contacted Carol Branget of the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre of Essex County about offering the training.

"If we can get the message out and provide education about consent, and around safety, then we're 100 per cent on board," she said.

Cleaning up tarnished image

The league has not shared too many details about the programming, but Branget says individual sexual assault crisis centres will likely be conducting the programs wherever there is an OHL team.

The league, which featuressome of the best junior hockey players in Canada,has been marred in recent years with sexual assault charges against several of its players, including former Windsor Spitfire Ben Johnson.

• Ben Johnson found guilty of sexual assault

He was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old in the bathroom of a Windsor bar back in 2013.

University of Windsor women's and gender studies professor Charlene Senn applauds league officials for taking action. Senn, whose research focuses on violence against women, hopes the program is taken seriously.

"Where organized athletics are saying, yes we know this is a problem and there's something we want to do, that's a forward step," Senn said.

She urges the OHLto ensure everyone supports the program, suggesting itcould fail, unless coaches and team owners endorse the education.

"If it is something that is really meaningful and that everyone is modelling, that could be a very positive thing," she said.