By now news of the sexual abuse scandal surrounding the United States Gymnastics team has spread throughout the nation and has undoubtedly left many people feeling disgusted, appalled, and deeply saddened. For decades citizens of the United States have watched in awe as women’s gymnastics dominated the Olympic Games. We have reveled in our nation’s victories, all the while completely unaware of the horrible abuse hiding behind the girl’s impeccable routines, their infectious smiles, and the plethora of medals that they brought home.
Over 100 women have come forward with sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar, a sports medicine specialist. Through his employment as a doctor for both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, Nassar has spent decades preying on innocent and vulnerable young women who came to him for medical help. Throughout his career Nassar continued to molest young women, hiding behind his profession and his highly respected reputation among his colleagues. Nassar began working as a USA gymnastics trainer in 1986 and continued for almost 30 years. Not only did USA gymnasts have mandatory training sessions with Nassar, he also frequently travelled with athletes to competitions including three Olympic Games. Imagining these athletes training and competing each day while continuously facing their abuser is absolutely heartbreaking and completely unacceptable.
When thinking about this horrible tragedy it is difficult not to wonder how this possibly could have happened. Unfortunately, it seems as though Larry Nassar is not the only one to blame. Nassar’s actions certainly are despicable and there is no excuse for his abuse of power and the way he took advantage of innocent athletes; however, USA gymnastics also played a significant role in prolonging the abuse by enabling his atrocious behavior and failing to and take action against him in the face of serious allegations. MSU also failed to intervene despite multiple allegations against Nassar. Both Nassar for his despicable actions and these institutions for valuing their own reputations over the safety of their athletes must share the blame for this heartbreaking and deplorable calamity.
The prolonged suffering inflicted by Nassar’s despicable abuse culminated at his recent sentencing hearing where many women stepped forward to confront their abuser and finally reach justice. This group of survivors included not just gymnasts and MSU athletes but also a former family friend of Nassar. As these women stood in court in front of Nassar they fought back against their abuser, against the institutions that turned their backs on their allegations, against the archaic practices of victim blaming, and against anyone who still dares to shame sexual assault survivors. The bravery these women demonstrated, the eloquence of their words, and the poise they possessed in the face of their abuser showed the world that that victims should not and cannot be silenced any longer. These women, already national heroes for their athletic achievements, found a new type of strength inside themselves as they stood up in the face of evil. In Aly Raisman’s victim impact statement she asserted, “Larry, you do realize now that we, this group of women you so heartlessly abused over such a long period of time, are now a force and you are nothing. The tables have turned, Larry. We have our voices, and we are not going anywhere.” With these words she shared with her abuser and with the world her own strength and the strength of all sexual abuse survivors. These women, this “force”, have empowered survivors everywhere and spread the important message that the deep shame associated with sexual assault falls solely on the shoulders of the abuser. No amount of jail time, financial compensation, or public defamation can make up for the suffering endured by Nassar’s victims, and it is so important that this country and the rest of the world does not simply forget this tragedy. Now that many girls have stepped forward, including Jordan Wieber, Mckayla Maroney, and Simone Biles, it is time to think about what this means for us as a country and to decide what happens next.
As more women come forward with reports of sexual assault and more abusers are revealed for their heinous actions, we as a nation must change the way we look at sexual assault. The recent revolution against sexual assault, perpetrated by brave survivors, by movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp, and by eloquent and moving statements such as Aly Raisman’s, has sparked a conversation throughout the country. No longer do these horrible crimes hide behind closed doors locked tightly by fear or shame. These crimes are brought forward in courtrooms and abusers are exposed for their horrifying actions. Victims will no longer be silenced and will unite against their abusers. As Kyle Stephens, one of Nassar’s many victims, proclaimed in her victim impact statement, “Little girls don’t stay little forever. They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.” These words and the words of all the women standing up against their abusers are changing the way we see sexual assault and creating a revolution led by strong and powerful survivors.