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Former NHL player Theo Fleury spoke publicly Wednesday about the devastating impact being abused as a junior hockey player had on his life. His abuser was his coach, Graham James. James appeared at a sentencing hearing Feb. 22.

"The pain was all encompassing. And no matter how many NHL games I won, or money I made, or fame I gained could dull the pain of having been sexually abused by Graham James. His sickness changed my life, changed the lives of everyone who was close to me, and caused more pain than can be measured," Fleury said. 

The case has shed light on the issue of abuse in sports, and experts say these are not isolated incidents.

Statistics on how often abuse occurs in sports are difficult to pin down because incidents often go unreported, say experts.

The majority of abuse, though, happens between older males and younger females, followed by older males and younger males, said Sandra Kirby, who conducts research on abuse in sport at the University of Winnipeg.

She believes high-profile cases like these will make it easier for others to come forward.

"In Canada, Graham James has been the signature event," Kirby said.

In 1996 Kirby authored a study that found nearly 23 per cent of high performance athletes – many of them female – had a sexual relation with someone in a position of power.

"I think we have a major problem," said Kirby. "I would have said that in 1996. Some 15 years later, we're saying that again."

Dakota Community Centre's hockey director, Joe Kozar, says Hockey Winnipeg members are bound by a code of conduct to report any abuse.

"There's a lot more care and concern with how we react with the players in the dressing room," Kozar said. "We also make sure there are policies in place."

Coaches are also required to fill out a child abuse registry form every year – long before they step into any dressing room. The aim is to prevent incidents of abuse in sports.

What's critical, Kozar said, is keeping the lines of communication open. "Nobody is going to be made to feel ashamed. We want to know," Kozar said.

But some players may be more vulnerable than others.

Kirby said those who might be at risk of being targeted or abused often have the potential to become elite athletes. They tend to have smaller builds, could be isolated from their families or even have an eating disorder. Anything that makes them vulnerable puts them at greater risk.

Kirby also noted abuse is not just specific to hockey. Her 1996 study looked at athletes in all national sports, including hockey, martial arts and swimming.

- with a report from CTV's Rajeev Dhir