Five years gives a lot of clarity. But remember when you read the story that started it all, with today's 20/20 hindsight, what it was like back then...
indystar.com/story/news/201…
indystar.com/story/news/201…
From '97 to 2015 there were 17 reports about Larry's abuse to MSU. 4 law enforcement agencies/offices also received at least five reports and never investigated. A 5th agency tried to bury the story.
Countless coaches at USAG heard athletes describe the abuse. USAG and USOPC leaders knew at least 4 elites had described abuse.
No one cared, until 5 years ago today, when the @indystar told the truth.
And when that happened, it was ugly.
No one cared, until 5 years ago today, when the @indystar told the truth.
And when that happened, it was ugly.
When this story ran, the community response was awful.
Liar. Bitter, washed up gymnast looking for someone to blame for their failure. In it for attention. Wanting money. It must have felt good. We enjoyed it.
Liar. Bitter, washed up gymnast looking for someone to blame for their failure. In it for attention. Wanting money. It must have felt good. We enjoyed it.
Larry's FB was FILLED with public posts of support for him and hatred for Jamie and I.
Kathy Klages told parents that the CSAM flund on Larry's computer was planted by someone trying to frame him.
MSU leaders mocked the video from the story and sent it around for laughs.
Kathy Klages told parents that the CSAM flund on Larry's computer was planted by someone trying to frame him.
MSU leaders mocked the video from the story and sent it around for laughs.
USAG hired PI's to try to dig up dirt on Jamie, knowing full well age was telling the truth.
MSU used PI's too, and hired firms to monitor our social media accounts.
Friends reached out to ask if I'd "seen what people are saying about you... it's really really bad..."
MSU used PI's too, and hired firms to monitor our social media accounts.
Friends reached out to ask if I'd "seen what people are saying about you... it's really really bad..."
We have hindsight now. It's easy to support Nassar survivors now (though we still get a good dose of nastiness too).
But survivors all over are still in the place I was in five years ago. Alone. Facing sremingly insurmountable community and institutional protection.
But survivors all over are still in the place I was in five years ago. Alone. Facing sremingly insurmountable community and institutional protection.
Five years ago I had very little "hard evidence" outside of my own testimony and a few prior disclosures too. Five years ago people said the same things about me and my case that so many are still saying to and about survivors today.
Remember what it was like 5 yrs ago. All the assumptions that were made, attacks that flew fast and thick, and the very little that anyone really knew back then.
Because the majority of survivors today are still living in that space.
Because the majority of survivors today are still living in that space.
If you wait to listen and care until you have the clarity of 20/20 hindsight, there's a very good chance disclosures will shut down and evidence never surface, in time to give you the benefit of hindsight.
No one should congratulate themselves for supporting Nassar survivors now.
We all should ask who we REALLY would have stood with back then, and examine our current responses to disclosures that don't yet have hindsight, through that lens.
We all should ask who we REALLY would have stood with back then, and examine our current responses to disclosures that don't yet have hindsight, through that lens.
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