Lisa Fallon says the stories from female footballers coming forward to tell their experiences of abuse must be heard so there can be fundamental changes in the sport.
Last week allegations of sexual coercion and misconduct against former North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley were outlined in an article in The Athletic, after speaking to more than a dozen players he coached since 2010.
Former players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim went public to share their stories, with Farrelly accusing the decorated coach of manipulating the coach-player power imbalance and coercing her into having sex with him, while Shim said Riley tried many of the same tactics on her that he allegedly used with Farrelly.
Riley denied their allegations, but his contract with the club was terminated.
Shim reported Riley's behavior to the Portland Thorns in 2015 and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has been heavily criticised for failing to take appropriate action.
Other players have subsequently come forward, and RTÉ soccer analyst and head coach with Galway United, Fallon, says all the stories must be heard if real change is to come about.
"It has made for harrowing reading," she told 2fm's Game On. "It’s important that we understand what happened. It's only when we have a true understanding of what happened that things are put in place that this never happens again and that players are protected.
"Sport can be a great outlet for people, a sanctity, a safe place. For that to become an unsafe environment, or a place where they are bullied or coerced, it's unacceptable.
"We must listen to them, to all their stories, as painful as they might be."
Last week’s report sent shockwaves through the sport and the players' association demanded sweeping changes across the league, as some of soccer's most prominent figures - including two-time World Cup winners and NWSL players Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan - voiced their outrage.
"People need to speak up if they see it [misconduct and abuse]," she added. "They need to call it out and correct it. Don’t allow it to happen, don’t be a blind by-stander to it. Everyone has a right to be safe in society, in sport.
"This stuff is totally unacceptable. If there is a culture there that exists, it must be eradicated."
