Victims of disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor speak out

#MeToo and #TimesUp have spread like wildfire on social media lately. Now, USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University are dealing with the fallout. Disgraced doctor Larry Nassar, who has already pleaded guilty to child pornography charges, is now accused by over 100 victims of sexual misconduct and assault. Under the disguise of medical treatment, Nassar would do things to his victims that are beyond horrific.

USA gymnasts Aly Raisman, Mikayla Maroney, and Simone Biles have all come forward with stories of what Nassar did to them. As the chief doctor for USA Gymnastics, Nassar would supposedly treat the athletes with medical care. This is where things get horrific. Nassar would use a technique called grooming to slowly gain the trust of the female athletes before assaulting them. All three are slated to make victim impact statements during the sentencing phase of the trial, which is expected to wrap up later this week.

It does not stop with USA Gymnastics. Several Michigan State female athletes have also accused Nassar of sexual assault. One victim told Nassar that “Little girls do not stay little forever. They eventually grow into strong women who will come back to haunt you.”

Female athletes as young as six years old became victims. Nassar has shown little to no remorse during his sentencing. He is often seen covering his face with his hands as victim after victim speaks out about what they endured. Tragically, not all victims are alive today. One of the victims committed suicide at the age of 23 after being abused by Nassar at the age of 12. The mother read a statement detailing the horrors her daughter endured during treatment.

Both Michigan State and USA Gymnastics continue to deny any wrongdoing by Nassar. In the wake of the scandal, many board members of USA Gymnastics have resigned or have been terminated. In a statement, USA Gymnastics says that it is committed to athlete safety and security.

Today, many of Nassar’s victims are battling a range of mental illnesses. These range from crippling anxiety to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to loss of trust with medical professionals. What those victims went through should not have happened in the first place. Even after telling their parents about the abuse, many were blamed for not doing much about it.

Hopefully, Nassar will be sent away for the rest of his life and never be allowed to walk free again. Justice will never fully come to these victims. They are forever changed and scarred by what Nassar did.