You've probably seen the headlines: police failures, community-enabled abuse, and a troubled equestrian industry. But behind the headlines are real people - Katie Simpson, her family, and the 37 other victim-survivors who have bravely disclosed abuse by Jonathan Creswell.

“Inappropriate conduct was frequently dismissed as 'just part of the culture, reinforcing silence and complicity."

What is the review?

In April, the Department of Justice Northern Ireland published a 200-page review into the management of Jonathan Creswell, who groomed and murdered Showjumper, Katie Simpson.

The review exposes systemic failures in policing, where “Katie was let down at every step”, but also raises serious concerns about our industry. Victim-blaming, industry blind spots, and the presence of known offenders in the equestrian community – concerns that EQUISS has already received first-hand reports of. The report is clear: the equestrian industry needs widescale reform.

37 other victim-survivors came forward and disclosed abuse by Jonathan Creswell. 31 are female and 6 are male.

Police are investigating two “potential offenders” within the equestrian industry who were identified during the review.

According to the review, Creswell’s abuse as “normalised in the riding community where he worked”, which isolated victim-survivors and encouraged victim-blaming. The review also identified critical blind spots, which could make other equestrians vulnerable to abuse:

• Unregulated and unaffiliated establishments
• Unvetted employers and employees
• Environments with no safeguarding protocols
• Informal relationships that override professional standards
• Disjointed governance structures
• Entry-level workers vulnerable to mistreatment

What are we doing about it?

Abusive individuals like Jonathan Creswell cannot be allowed to define our industry and sports. EQUISS is here to prevent that by creating a safer equestrian community, for everyone.

1. We are a safe space for victim-survivors to speak up and seek support that is tailored to them.
2. We care about the industry, helping it to improve by raising standards and enhancing safeguarding.
3. We are a critical-friend to decision-makers, creating lasting change for the whole community.