*Trigger warning* This article could be potentially distressing to anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault
After pleading guilty to molestation charges in November 2017, Lawrence G. “Larry” Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 in prison in a hearing that was concluded on Wednesday.
Nassar, 54, was a licensed American osteopathic physician, mostly widely as the national team sports-medicine doctor for USA Gymnastics. In 2016, sexual abuse allegations were made from two former gymnasts, and since then the number of Nassar’s victims has grown extensively. Victims include Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman, Jordyn Weiber, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Simone Biles, and many more. The Michigan State University, where Nassar was a faculty member, fired the serial rapist in 2016 after the school received a first complaint against him in 2014.
On January 24th, Judge Rosemarie Acquilina sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison, after having already been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for child pornography convictions. Upon sentencing Nassar, Judge Acquilina bluntly stated “I just signed your death warrant.”
During the trial that lasted only a week, an army of women was welcomed in the courtroom to speak out publicly about their abuse. “Nobody was protecting us from being taken advantage of”, said former gymnast Jordyn Weiber, 22. Another former gymnast, Jeanette Antolin, 36, stated “you made me believe that you were my friend. You deceived me, you manipulated me, and you abused me. I truly believe that you are a spawn of Satan. ” While fighting back tears, Mattie Larson addressed her abuser who “took complete advantage of [her] innonence.”
Victims and the public alike have condemened the United States Olympic Committee for not doing enough to protect them from Nassar. Many victims, including Aly Raisman who was threatened with a $100,000 in the event that she should speak during Nassar’s hearing, were silenced by officials in fear of devastating the reputation of USA Gymnastics.