How Long Before Cases Like the Larry Nassar Case Are Handled Properly?
- Navya Mangla
- Oct 30, 2021
- 2 min read
It should come as no surprise to see the vast majority of sexual abuse cases go unreported, but what about those who report sexual abuse? Why are their cases continually dismissed and mishandled?
“What is the point of reporting abuse if our own FBI agents are going to take it upon themselves to bury that report into a drawer?” said Kayla Maroney in her testimony before the Senate.
In 2015, many women and girls had reported that Larry Nassar, a former USA gymnastics doctor, had misused his position as a doctor and molested and abused them on several occasions. USA Gymnastics dismissed these reports and in some cases, like Maroney's, created agreements to try and silence their stories.
Despite knowing about all the sexual abuse reports against Nassar, USA Gymnastics allowed Nassar to treat, and abuse patients for another year.
In July 2015, the FBI became aware of the reports against Nassar. They, however, failed to follow proper protocol and delayed the investigation of Nassar.
Simone Biles said in her testimony, “I blame Larry Nassar, and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse.”
Finally, in 2016, the reports against Nassar became public after an investigation revealed the abuse of two women. Since then, more than 140 others have come forward with their stories of abuse by Nassar.
In 2018, at Nassar’s court hearing, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina opened the courtroom to those willing to share their stories. Plenty of other women came forward, resulting in a powerful seven-day hearing of the experiences of 156 women. We can only imagine how many more women have chosen not to come forward for many reasons.
To hear some of their stories, click here.
After listening and responding to each individual's story, the judge read out a letter Nassar had recently written claiming he was, in fact, a doctor, and his treatments worked.
In disgust, Aquilina stated, “[This letter] tells me you still don’t get it,” before sentencing Nassar to up to 175 years in prison.
Nassar also has an additional sentence of 60 years on accounts of child pornography. With these charges, Aquilina said Nassar will never leave prison.
In addition to this, four Olympic gymnasts recently opened up a necessary investigation of the mishandling of the case. Nassar had molested and abused Maroney, Biles, Nichols, and Raisman when they were young gymnasts.
At the Senate hearing this September, Maroney shared that she had provided the FBI with a detailed report of what Nassar did to her. Not only did the FBI delay the investigation by 17 months, but they also falsified her statement.
"They chose to lie about what I said and protect a serial child molester rather than protect not only me, but countless others," she added.
Raisman shared that she had also made attempts to report Nassar's misconduct to the FBI, but yet again, they failed to prioritize the case.
Although the FBI has fired one of the investigators on the case, this is not nearly enough to justify the mishandling of this case.
It takes so much courage for survivors of abuse to come forward and to see their stories be silenced and torn apart in the hands of our justice system is heartbreaking.
What will it take for our stories to be heard and perpetrators to be held responsible?
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