Larry Nassar

Larry Nassar

“I just signed your death warrant,” said Judge Rosemary Aquillia to former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Nassar was sentenced 40 to 175 years in prison. This was the result after more than 150 women and girls testified in court that he sexually abused them. He committed these acts over the past two decades. Guilty on seven counts of criminal sexual conduct, a once renowned medical physician admitted to using his medical position to molest and assault girls.

He was someone who was professionally trained to provide leadership in developing and supervising a patient’s overall health and care plan, yet he took advantage of not only the respect of his patients, but he also took away their innocence.

Nassar delivered a statement in court saying that he could not possibly write an acceptable apology to all the women he has harmed. But the letter he wrote to the court before that cancels it out. The letter that Nassar wrote defending his medical care stated, “I was a good doctor because my treatments worked, and those patients that are now speaking out are the same ones that praised and came back over and over.”
How can one get in front of a crowd of people he hurt not only physically but mentally as well and say words like he’s sorry and that “hearing seven days of victim impact statements had shaken him to the core.” And also write a letter expressing how they praised his methods and that the media convinced them he was wrong?
The media convinced no one. They had no hand in turning the girls against him, he did that all on his own.
I can’t possibly begin to understand how someone so sick, can believe that he wasn’t in the wrong. He took advantage of those young girls and caused them so much pain. So many strong women spoke out against their abuser, women who had their voice stolen. Women who finally had the courage and the will power to push all the negativity that Nassar caused in their life away.
During this trial, so many brave, courageous, and strong women spoke out against Nassar:

“Little girls don’t stay little forever. They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world,” said Kyle Stephens.
“I thought that training for the Olympics would be the hardest thing I would ever have to do. But the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do is process that I am a victim of Larry Nassar,” said Jordyn Wieber.  
“…Dr. Nassar was not a doctor, he in fact is, was, and forever shall be, a child molester and a monster of a human being…,” said McKayla Maroney.
“… I have both power and voice… All these brave women have power, and we will use our voices to make sure you get what you deserve: A life of suffering spent replaying the words delivered by this powerful army of survivors,” said Aly Raisman.
While that was only four quotes, there are so many more that are equally important and impactful. These women’s voices were ignored, and the system failed to protect them. They didn’t have their organization in their corner.

Nassar broke a line of trust that so many athletes make with their medical professionals everyday. He is a monster that got what he deserved. These “women are banded together to fight for themselves because no one else would do it,” said CNN.
From here on out, there should never be a young female or male athlete who should have to ever worry about being assaulted by someone they are supposed to trust, someone they confide in. There needs to be more assurance that people will not slip through the cracks or be ignored.