Sexual assault is an issue that has plagued women in all areas of society for decades. With movements such as Time’s Up and #MeToo, women are finally receiving legal support for their experiences with sexual harassment and inequality in the workplace.
One of the most notable story regarding sexual abuse to come forward in recent weeks has been the trial of Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar. Larry Nassar is a former USA Gymnastics doctor and osteopathic physician at Michigan State University.
Dr. Nassar has been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for multiple accounts of sexual misconduct. He was sentenced on Wednesday, January 31, with Judge Rosemarie Aquilina stating, “I just signed your death warrant,” as she imposed the sentence.
Judge Aquilina has been widely criticized for her “bias” against Dr. Nassar. Despite his heinous crimes, these critics feel that a judge should form his or her decisions based on facts and law, rather than opinion. Aquilina chose to make her personal views known when openly condemning Nassar as a “monster.”
Along with his current sentence, Dr. Nassar holds federal child-pornography charges and charges for abusing young women and girls during his time at Michigan State University. It was these charges that helped spark the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal.
While the scandal has resulted in Dr. Nassar’s imprisonment, Aly Raisman, an Olympic gymnast and victim, believes that the problem is “bigger than Larry Nassar.” She feels that more people, like Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics, and the US Olympic Committee, need to be investigated. These organizations have previously turned a blind eye to the accusations against Dr. Nassar.
Raisman is one of dozens of women who have come forward to read statements regarding their experiences with Dr. Nassar.
During a seven-day hearing, over 150 victims publicly confronted Dr. Nassar about his criminal acts of sexual assault. Most of the victims are gymnasts, but also include other athletes.
Here are the words of some of his accusers:
Photo by davidamalu / Flickr Images
“I thought training for the Olympics would be the hardest thing that I would ever have to do. But, in fact, the hardest thing I would ever have to do is process that I am a victim of Larry Nassar.”
Jordyn Wieber, Gymnast and Olympic medalist
Photo by Melanie Heaney / Flickr Images
“The Olympics were just one year away. And I just couldn’t take any more of the abuse. I was broken. Larry, my coaches and USA Gymnastics turned the sport I fell in love with as a kid into my personal living hell.”
Mattie Larson, Gymnast and World Championships Medalist
All in all, Nassar’s imprisonment is just one of the issues coming to light at this time. There are so many cases that are coming out in the media, including well-known Hollywood producers and tv hosts. It is important to stay informed on the issues at hand and to keep up to date with what is happening in our society. In a time where there seems to be so much bad in our world, it is important to recognize that people are sticking together and finally speaking out about issues.