By the time his sentencing hearing wrapped up a few days ago, many of us had heard about the serial sex abuser Larry Nassar. Former USA Gymnastics doctor accused of molesting over 135 girls and previously charged with the possession of child pornography.
The names of his victims plastered all over every major news outlet: Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, and the list continues…but what about those few girls who chose to speak out first?
Kyle Stephens, who says the molestation began for her at just 6 years old. She announced during her testimony that she had decided to go public to prove to herself that she had nothing to be ashamed of.
This is where the issue lies. Victims feeling like they are to blame for their abuse. Each of the 135+ victims has a story about the shame they experienced when they first announced their molestation.
According to ESPN, “‘No one did anything because no one believed me,’ Katie Rasmussen, who says she was abused by Nassar after being introduced to him through the gymnastics gym Twistars, said in her statement at the hearing. Former Olympic gymnast Jamie Dantzscher told the court that, when she first came forward in August 2016, she was attacked on social media. ‘They called me a liar, a whore and even accused me of making all of this up to get attention,’ she said. ‘When survivors came forward, adult after adult, many in positions of authority, protected you, telling each survivor it was OK, that you weren’t abusing them,’ Raisman said to Nassar, who she says began abusing her when she was 15. ‘In fact, many adults had you convince the survivors that they were being dramatic or were mistaken. This is like being violated all over again.'”
According to NBC News, USA Gymnastics issued a rather gut-wrenching statement, saying that after its private investigator interviewed Maggie Nichols [another gymnast molested by Nassar] and Raisman, it did not have a “reasonable suspicion” they had been molested by Nassar. USA Gymnastics admits it waited five weeks to alert law enforcement and didn’t notify Michigan State University, where he had his practice. Nichols later tweeted, “Your statements are hurtful. If you did not believe that I & others were abused then why pressure & manipulate us? WE WERE MOLESTED BY A MONSTER U ENABLED 2 THRIVE FOR DECADES. You are 100% responsible.”
This celebrated criminal case has been a huge step for victims across the country. Each victim has gone from the point of feeling personal and public shame to triumph when Nassar was sentenced just a few days ago. Each gymnast was publicly humiliated, called liars, and more for coming forward about Nassar, and yet so many of Nassar’s victims, in their impact statements during his sentencing hearing, said they considered their own culpability in their interactions with him. Former Michigan State volleyball player Jennifer Rood-Bedford told the courtroom, “My first reaction was to question myself. To blame myself.” Said Raisman to Nassar: “You made me uncomfortable, and I thought you were weird. But I felt guilty because you were a doctor, so I assumed I was the problem for thinking badly of you.” And each of these women was assured by Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina that she did not share the blame, was not at fault and should not feel remorse.
This sort of reassurance for victims comes far too rarely and shaming comes far too often.