Just One

As I tearfully watched this strong, beautiful, and inspirational presentation, this one sentence spoken by US Champion Gymnast Aly Raisman, has stayed with me: “All we needed was one adult to have the integrity to stand between us and Larry Nassar. If just one adult had listened, believed, and acted, the people standing before you on this stage would never have met him.” For over 20 years . . .

Why Awareness Matters

The shame, confusion, and self-blame that a child experiences in the wake of sexual abuse drive any impulse to speak up far away in to the recesses of obscurity. Sadly, because survivors (child and adult) are so adept at hiding their shame, we, as a culture are only too happy to comply with their desire to remain in the shadows. And as long as the secret is safe, the journey to healing remains hidden. ...

So, what is to be done?

As I read through the news articles and especially the accounts of the women abused by Nassar, I am sickened to find the all too familiar stories. So many girls spoke up about the abuse and were disbelieved, silenced or shamed and sent back to be treated by the esteemed Dr. Nassar. And, most heinous of all were stories of those in authority who KNEW of the abuse and repeatedly turned a blind eye. I am also certain that over the course of those 20 years, there were scores of adults who saw a suggestive behavior, overheard something suspicious or just plain had a queasy gut sense about Nassar and said or did NOTHING.