I think they do - but the formal channel for reporting things is ...... to the club. So you wouldn't hear of it.
Perhaps Societies should open themselves up and have 'associate members' who are club-refs, not graded, not appointed to games, don't get the kit, but who have access to
- training
- communications (so they can see all the new laws/directives/emails)
- a channel for reporting and advice over abuse issues
- mutual support.
cub-refs would benefit, and i think Societies would bnefit as well from understanding and having a little more visibility over the club-ref scene. It could only lead to better-standard club refs, and perhaps to more upgrades to full-membership.
The formal reporting channel as a Club Referee is as you say to the Club, and they report it for stats to the CB - so yes the Society does hear about it via CB. At each Governance Committee meeting all Society, Club, Uni, Youth and Schools dismissals and abuse cases are reported, with actions taken and we have to adopt them as ok.
As Club Referees sometimes they have a Club Society, some times a CRefC, sometimes a helpful Society Ref, and sometimes no one (they are the ones we need to help). But nothing difficult there in reporting to club - so why do some club refs not report dismisssals or abuse ? (Rhetorical question).
As for Societies opening themselves up - we have totally open meetings to Club Refs, Club Coaches, Administrators, etc. Increasingly CRefCs are attending, as is the co-ordinator of our one Club sub-Society (so far, two more coming soon). So with the meetings and our web site, plus the CRefC and CRefDevptManager club refs have access to
- training
- communications (for new laws etc)
- advice / help in cases of dismissals, abuse etc
-and we atry to be very open and very inclusive, soit he support is there - and used on occasions, cos I get the emails / phone calls.
Part of the CRefC and CrefDevManager development is that Club refs will be advised (not assessed) and will have 'grades' - some do already by being banded as to the age groups they can referee. The whole point of ythe initiative is to get Club Rerf standards up, and that will we know lead at some stage to full Society membership, perhaps when their kids are playing senior rugby, or thjey get ti bug to see how far they can go.
With so many Society Refs as CRefCs or doing Sunday Youth matches as Club Refs, a Society man as CReferee Development Manager, reps on CBRDP and Youth Committees, Society Refs as Youth Coaches (Scrumpox, Jenko two at my club), Society Rfs as Club Secs, Chairmen, etc I think in our County we are more integrated than we ever have been between Society and Club Refs.
if it isn't like that in your CB, contact the Society and offer to work with them in getting it set up and working.