This sexual assault case that shocked the world's sports world, from exposure to trial, showed the deepest evil and ugliness of human nature, exposed the incurable shortcomings and laziness of US government agencies, and let the world see the brave people's indomitable self-help and struggle.
| Author: Cui Cui
| Editor: Ershui
| Editor: Su Su
After five years, the darkest sexual assault case in the history of American sports was finally settled with $380 million (about 2.4 billion yuan) in damages.
Larry Nassar, 58, is accused of using her identity as a team doctor on the U.S. gymnastics team to molest and sexually abuse hundreds of female athletes for decades, and many Olympic champions such as Byers and Lesman have been spared. During the trial, more than 500 victims sued for compensation.
After reaching a settlement, on December 15, former American gymnast Rachel Dan Holland wrote on social media: "This chapter has finally been turned over. "She was the first victim to publicly expose Nassar. At the same time, many victims said that no amount of compensation could compensate for the harm they had suffered, and they looked forward to the reform of the gymnastics community as a result.
· Nassar.
From "Golden Boy" to "Wolf Doctor"
In 1986, Nassar graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in kinematics and entered the United States Gymnastics Team. As the lead doctor, he participated in the 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London Four Olympic Games, once known as "the best doctor in the American gymnastics industry" and the "golden boy" in the gymnastics world.
· Nassar (first from right) competed with the team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
In addition, he is a school doctor at Michigan State University, with independent clinics, extensive connections, and a lot of income. Nassar and his wife have two daughters and a son, and in the eyes of outsiders, he seems to be loyal and honest in appearance, and he is a successful person with a happy career and family.
However, the rumors of "bad wind evaluation" have always revolved around Nassar.
In the early years, michigan state university sports team members complained that he used "strange methods" to treat their teammates. In 2014, Michigan State University also investigated the matter, but ultimately determined that Nassar was innocent and that he could continue practicing medicine.
It wasn't until 2016 that the Indianapolis Star published two investigative reports revealing the American Gymnastics Association's mishandling of Nassar's sexual assault allegations and former U.S. gymnast Dan Holland's experience of being sexually assaulted by Nassar. The report soon caused a strong response, and the world knew that the "golden boy" was actually a "wolf doctor" who extended his claws to the athletes.
Subsequently, more and more women came forward to expose Nassar's crimes, and his criminal behavior was finally exposed.
During his tenure as a team doctor, Nassar used the guise of "medical treatment" to take advantage of his position to often sexually assault female athletes, including those who were unable to move after injury.
· Video screenshot from the documentary Whistleblower: Tracking the Sexual Assault Scandal of the U.S. Gymnastics Team.
After the sexual assault, Nassar also threatened the victim, and if the other party did not obey, he would issue a fake doctor's certificate stating that the athlete was ill and could not participate in the competition.
In December 2016, FBI agents searched Nassar's home and found 37,000 images of child pornography and a video of him sexually abusing children on his computer. Nassar was arrested on the spot.
Nassar has since been indicted for 22 first-degree criminal offences against minors. In 2017, after several rounds of maneuvering, Nassar pleaded guilty in only seven cases, three of which had victims under the age of 13.
156 contestants were publicly revealed in court
Nassar's plea clause included allowing victims to read out a statement in court of the impact of the case on them. Hence the shocking scene: Beginning on November 22, 2017, the Michigan County District Court in Ingham County held a week-long hearing, and 156 victims came to the courtroom to confront Nassar.
· The victim came to court to confront Nassar.
Ari Lesman, a famous American gymnast and Olympic champion, said: "In the past, I was afraid to stand up and admit that I had been sexually assaulted, but after seeing the statements of other witnesses, I decided to face you. The women who have been ruthlessly destroyed by you have become a force. And you, you are nothing. "You can never think of that kind of fear: young girls playing in a foreign country, hiding in a room in a panic, and you, knocking on the door."
The most infuriating and heart-wrenching thing is that many teenage girls also appeared in court to tell their stories.
A 15-year-old witness accused Nassar: "When my father died, it was my most vulnerable moment, but you used this as an opportunity to violate me and extend your claws to my young brother. ”
A 13-year-old witness cried and said: "You kept pretending to be a good friend of mine, so that I didn't realize I had been sexually assaulted until I saw this trial." ”
Dan Holland, the first to come forward to expose Nassar, was the last victim to testify at the hearing. She said to Nassar, "You are a selfish, evil person with perverted desires. "Nassar is a stubborn and extremely dangerous sex offender." He brutally abused girls and manipulated them and their families with great skill. However, he is only one of these criminals. Only the heaviest punishment can deter those who are still at large. ”
· Dan Holland.
In his concluding remarks, prosecutor lawyer Poviras said: "In the same room with parents, with other children waiting outside the clinic, Nassar is still sexually assaulting, and such acts can only be described as 'sexual perversion'." ”
During the hearing, an angry victim's father asked the judge to allow himself to be alone with the sexual assault for five minutes. After being refused by the judge, he rushed straight to the dock and tried to beat Nassar, but was eventually stopped by the bailiffs. When he was thrown to the ground, the father was still begging the bailiffs for "just a minute" and asked the bailiffs "what can you do if your daughter is a victim... ”
A father (first from left) angrily rushes toward Nassar (lower right).
Before the court announced his sentence, Nassar said the victim's testimony left him "heart-wrenching and shocked, and no words can express remorse for the crimes he has committed." For the rest of my life, I will be tortured by your testimony. ”
But this statement exposed Nazar's hypocrisy even more.
Shortly before the hearing, he submitted a defense letter to the court, which read, "I am a good doctor because my methods are effective." The patients who accuse me are the same people as the patients who praise me, who ask me for help again, and who recommend me to others. Until the last moment, he still tried to hide his sins.
Judge Aguilina read the letter before the verdict was pronounced, then threw it on the table and said, "It seems that you have not yet admitted that what you did was sexual assault, you still think you are right, you still think you are a doctor." Mr. Nassar, you are not a doctor at all, and I will not even send a dog to you for treatment. ”
Judge Aguilina read Nassar's letter before the verdict was pronounced, angrily denouncing his sophistry.
The judge's ilencing trial conclusion became a hot topic for a while. Before sentencing, Aguilina said to the victims present: "You are no longer victims, you are survivors." Leave your pain here, go, go outside and chase your glory. ”
For Nassar, her sentence was like a sharp sword: "Your crime is very precise, calculated, skilled, evil, and despicable." Sir, it is my pleasure to be able to sentence you. I sentence you to 175 years in prison, 2100 months, and you can never take a step out of prison again. ”
As soon as the words fell, the applause of the audience was thunderous, and people hugged and cried.
Victims who hug and cry.
In the end, the Federal Court, the Ingham County Court, and the Eaton County Court ruled that Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison by the federal court for possession of child sexual abuse materials, and sentenced to up to 175 years and up to 125 years in prison by two Michigan courts for various sexual abuse crimes.
U.S. government agencies are to blame
Putting Nassar in jail for sexual assault is not enough.
During the trial, more than 500 female gymnasts filed lawsuits for sexual assault by Nassar for compensation. Usa gymnastics has offered to pay $215 million in damages on the condition that the U.S. Olympic Committee cannot be held accountable. The request was rejected by the victims.
Until December 2021, victims voted to accept a $380 million compensation settlement and reached a settlement with the American Gymnastics Association, the American Olympic and Paralympic Committees and their insurance companies.
In addition to the compensation, USA GYMS agreed to reserve at least one board seat for victims of sexual assault. At least one member of the Gymnastics Association's committee responsible for safe sports and athletes' health is also given to victims.
Accountability continues. The FBI and gymnastics association were blamed for why Nassar had been able to get away with it for years.
According to CNN, the U.S. Department of Justice released an investigation report against the FBI in July this year, which showed that FBI officials made many fundamental mistakes in failing to respond to nassar's allegations with extreme seriousness and urgency. The FBI later admitted that the act was "inexcusable and an insult to America's premier law enforcement agency."
FBI agent.
In July 2015, Maroni, then 19, called FBI agents for three hours describing her abuse by Nassar, according to the New York Times. When she finished, the agent replied coldly, "That's all?" The other person's lack of empathy made her feel broken.
In the 14 months since, the FBI's disregard and dereliction of duty have led to at least 40 girls and women being targeted by Nassar.
In addition, the American Gymnastics Association did not assume corresponding responsibility. In September, gymnasts Biles, Lesman and Maroni testified about sexual assault at a Senate hearing, slamming USA Gymnastics and Olympic Committee officials for failing to stop Nassar's misdeeds.
"I want to be clear, I think it's Larry Nassar's fault, but it's also the fault of the gymnastics association that condoned its abuse," Byers said. ”
An investigative report published in the Indianapolis Star in 2016 revealed that 50 coaches had been reported for sexual assault, but the American Gymnastics Association has ignored it. In at least four cases in which the newspaper was involved, the American Gymnastics Association did not report it according to procedures.
The report wrote that the American Gymnastics Association, as the largest gymnastics organization and national management agency in the United States, values the competition results as superior to everything else and neglects to supervise sexual assault incidents.
Even more bizarrely, the American Gymnastics Association later set up a bizarre rule requiring whistleblowers to provide the signatures of their parents or witnesses, otherwise the report would be considered "hearsay" and would not be accepted.
Subsequently, steve Penney, then president of the American Gymnastics Association, was also exposed, bought FBI agents to block the investigation of the case, privately signed a confidentiality agreement with some team members, and asked the victim to remain silent... These acts undoubtedly condone the unscrupulousness of the devil.
In early 2018, the leadership of the American Gymnastics Association resigned en masse. That same year, Penney was arrested on suspicion of deliberately concealing evidence of sexual assault.
In December 2021, the President of the American Gymnastics Association and the CEO of the American Olympic Committee issued a statement saying: "We deeply apologize for the long-term serious injury and suffering of the victims due to the organization's inaction." Survivors bravely stood up and called for permanent change in the movement, and we pay tribute to the courage these women showed. The U.S. Olympic Committee will overhaul to combat sexual assault on athletes and prevent any form of abuse, which is our commitment today and every day. ”
This time, justice has finally arrived, but it is a little too late.
A teenage girl told her father that she had been sexually assaulted by Nassar, who beat her up without believing it, and when Nassar was formally charged, the father ended his life with a gun; some athletes suffered from anxiety and depression when they were minors, needed to take medication every day to control, and no longer trusted doctors.
These girls who have suffered all their lives because of Nassar, their lives cannot be compensated with compensation...
· Victims of Nassar sexual assault.