Along with much of the world, I am stoked for the Olympics later this month and plan to have it on continuously here in the Hippie Hut.
There are many sports I am excited for – I love swimming, soccer, track and field. . . and, like most every woman I know, I love, love, love gymnastics.
Since I was a little girl, tumbling myself for several years, all while Mary Lou Retton was bringing home the gold, gymnastics has been the highlight of the Games for me.
That said, as the Paris Games are nearing, the recent issues of abuse in women’s gymnastics have also been weighing on my mind (again) – and I feel that we need to discuss them here.
Sometime ago, I began reading Rachael Denhollander’s book, What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics – but, at some point, I had to take a break and put it down as it was really overwhelming to learn the extent of Larry Nassar’s abuse of young girls – in graphic detail – that was swept under the rug for DECADES by USA gymnastics.
(It is triggering to read – and parts of it made me physically ill. I cannot imagine what these young girls experienced.)
Finally, though, this week I picked it back up and read it all the way through.
Though it was terribly difficult to take in, as I prepared to write on this subject, I also watched two documentaries that were very well put together, giving further voice to the survivors of the Nassar scandal.
The first is “Athlete A” on Netflix.
The second is “At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal” on Max.
(Before I say more, I highly recommend both of these documentaries. They allow the survivors to tell their stories, as well as sharing the voices of the reporters that helped break this wide open at the Indianapolis Star and also the prosecutors who pursued all of the charges. Most of all, they both show the strength of these women as they faced down Nassar in open court and gave their victim impact statements – and it is powerful to witness, as is getting to hear the judge (also a fierce and steadfast woman, who helped take this monster down) address and sentence him finally. I particularly admire that Judge Rosemarie Aquilina only accepted his plea agreement on the condition that every survivor who wanted to address him be allowed to do so in her courtroom, 156 women in total. They were silenced no longer on her watch. ❤ )
While many of us heard in the news that there was an absolutely appalling sexual abuse scandal on a large scale in USA Gymnastics, I honestly did not realize the full extent of what happened, how long it had been occurring, and how many people really enabled this evil man to continue to abuse young girls for literal decades, refusing to believe them.
(I would be writing all day to cover everything – the extent of this hell-ish story is surreal – but it is important to talk about what happened as best I can.)
Looking through articles, I found this piece in Time Magazine in 2019, about an early survivor, one of the first of Nassar, from 1988.
Time Magazine Early Nassar Survivor.
In it, Sara Teresti reports that, as a young athlete, being coached by John Geddert (who would later be charged with human trafficking and sex crimes himself for his treatment of gymnasts – John Geddert Human Trafficking Charge and Suicide. ), she was one of the first victims of Larry Nassar when he was a medical student. At that time, he was just beginning to explore how far he could go with young athletes – and abused her in the presence of her coach. Additionally, Nassar sent her back to perform while seriously injured, that he might not anger Geddert. This was Nassar’s system to maintain access to the young girls in Geddert’s gym for almost thirty years, sending them out to train, even badly hurt, to stay in the coach’s good graces.
This occurred in 1988 – the beginning of Nassar’s abuse.
(Of note, he joined the staff at Michigan State University as an athletic trainer in 1986.)
From his “treatment” of this young girl, his behavior quickly escalated to the point that he was performing a “vaginal adjustment” on many of his athletes, an ungloved digital penetration, often at each visit with them as well as anal penetration with some. He even found a way to do this with their parents in the exam room, at an angle where the adult could not see what was happening.
He gained further access later to Olympic level athletes at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas – a facility since shut down by the State – where parents were not allowed to visit – WTH? – and the girls could have no cell phones and no contact with the outside world. It was reported he would even come “treat” them in their beds at that facility.
It bears mentioning that almost all the girls said that his “technique” to manipulate them was to be their friend, the only person who was kind to them – even sneaking them forbidden candy and letting them use his cell phone, in a place where the coaches and the people working with them were often harsh and demeaning. In a situation where they felt terribly isolated, this relationship was meaningful to them – and they trusted him.
For the rare few who questioned what was being done to them, they would find themselves shamed by Michigan State staff – or other gym staff – and one young woman, Larissa Boyce, in the “At the Heart of Gold” documentary, who did speak up about the abuse in 1997, was told that further reporting him “would get them both in trouble.”
What’s worse, the person she reported to, Kathie Klages, then told Nassar about the young gymnast’s concerns. Nassar confronted Larissa and told her his treatment was medical necessary. This made her cry and apologize to him, and he then proceeded to abuse her for another four years.
(When all was said and done in the investigation, Kathie Klages was sentenced to 90 days in jail for lying to police about having covered up the disclosure of abuse in 1997. Still, that is hardly sufficient when the bastard could have been stopped then. His abuse of young girls would continue for almost twenty years – and Kathie was there for all of them.)
Kathie Klages Jail Sentence for 1997 Cover Up.
He continued to be emboldened, “treating” girls in the basement of his home, touching their breasts, working with an obvious erection – but these young girls did not know what was happening or what to do.
He was reported in a Title IX complaint by Amanda Thomashow at MSU in 2014 – but he managed to select a panel of doctors who were his colleagues to review the case – and they concluded that his “exam,” one that prompted her to physically push him away and leave, was medically appropriate.
Yet another time – of many – when he could have been stopped.
However, by 2015, after much gaslighting and many coverups by USA Gymnastics – the FBI had a complaint from Maggie Nichols, who would be “Athlete A.”
(Even then, her case had been hidden as long as possible by USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny – and she was clearly penalized for reporting by her removal from the final Olympic Team selection in 2016, when otherwise she would have been an alternate.)
In 2016, the Indianapolis Star would begin investigating the story – and Racheal Denhollander, who had been abused by Nassar in 1999, would come forward with extensive documentation and file charges – as Jamie Dantzscher, an Olympic bronze medalist in 2000, was filing suit for the abuse she endured.
Faced with these allegations, Larry Nassar denied his “vaginal adjustments.” Full stop.
He said the women were lying, that he never did any such thing.
When that was published, many women came forward, saying that he had done exactly this to them, repeatedly – and the dominos began to fall.
The Independent offers a solid timeline of these events:
Several things I would mention here:
- The first charges against Nassar were not for a patient. They were for a family friend he had sexually abused from the time she was 6 until she was 12. In this case, it made sense to file these charges first because he could make no medical argument for touching her at all. In her victim impact statement – it’s absolutely devastating to listen to – she states that her father did not believe her for many years and it tore their family apart. She was even forced to babysit for the Nassar’s. By the time he did believe her, they tried to repair their relationship – but it was greatly damaged and he was ill. Her father was lost to suicide. Nassar has many victims. Kyle Stephens Victim Impact link.
- Nassar was not removed from MSU staff until 2016. Absolutely appalling.
- After he was charged with the first sexual assault, 37,000 images of child pornography were found in his home. This resulted in a 60 year federal prison sentence. Also, if you really want to be sick to your stomach, listen to his female defense attorney, Shannon Smith, on the “Heart of Gold” documentary, trying to explain why this isn’t really as much as it sounds like. (I am so serious. I don’t know how she is sleeping at night.) Larry Nassar 37000 Images link.
- When all was said and done, the entire board of USA Gymnastics and the MSU President had stepped down.
- MSU settled with 332 gymnasts for $500 million dollars – though it does nothing to repair years of damage that could have been stopped many times over.
Of the gymnasts that spoke out, Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and McKayla Maroney were among them. This means that, as they were competing at the Olympics, they were also being “adjusted” and abused by this evil excuse for a man.
My heart is so sick that these precious girls were not protected.
At the end of his sentencing, the Judge read his letter, where he is feeling sorry for himself – and his difficulty in facing his victims. WOW.
To her great credit, she did not release the letter publicly – as he even named some victims – but rather told him that it showed a total lack of repentance – and gave him the maximum sentence, saying, “I just signed your death warrant.”
(He was also stabbed in prison last year, apparently after saying, while watching Wimbledon, “I wish there were girls playing.” Nassar prison link. Wow. Just wow.)
Though he is where he belongs – forever, thank God – that this happened, and, for so long, is still devastating and the mind balks. There were so many opportunities to stop him – and no one did. No one believed these girls; worse yet, some people flat out defended his methods of abuse.
Considering the magnitude of this and the lasting harm to so many survivors, it cannot be forgotten or pushed aside, especially as it is time for the Olympics again.
Protecting these young girls – mentally, physically, emotionally – is of paramount importance before any medal or award.
Nothing is more valuable than these girls.
I would end encouraging you all to read Racheal Denhollander’s full victim impact statement from the hearing. It is powerful:
Rachael Denhollander Victim Impact Statement link.
Be well, everybody. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Grace and Blessings.
the autoimmune hippie. 