Larry Nassar, former team doctor for USA Gymnastics, pleaded guilty in November to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct with his patients. As part of the plea deal, he admitted he used his position as team doctor to abuse dozens of young girls. He has already been sentenced to 60 years in prison for separate, child pornography charges.
Nassar would sexually assault his victims on the pretense of providing them with medical treatment. Incidents of his abuse go all the way back to 1998 and involve girls under the age of 13 years old.
Nassar is being sentenced this week and many of his victims are speaking at the proceedings, making public the pain and shame then have experienced and kept hidden for so long. Several days have been set aside for victims or their parents to confront Nassar in court. Ninety-eight victim statements are expected in all.
Kyle Stephens said Nassar began assaulting her when she was 6 years old. The abuse continued until she was 12, when, she said, she told her parents about Nassar’s abuse. But they didn’t believe her, Stephens said. It caused a split in her family and led to crippling anxiety.
Stephens called Nassar a “repulsive liar” who was able to convince her family that she was lying. Stephens’ father committed suicide in 2016. Stephens believes the guilt he felt when he realized she was telling the truth about Nassar played a role. “Sexual abuse is so much more than a disturbing physical act. It changes the trajectory of a victim’s life, and that is something that nobody has the right to do,” Stephens said.
Donna Markham said she took her 12-year-old daughter Chelsey to Nassar for medical treatment years ago. On the way home, Chelsey broke down and told her mom that Nassar had assaulted her, when her mom was in the room. The assault began Chelsey on a path of depression and drugs, culminating with Chelsey killing herself in 2009. She was 23.
“Every day I miss her. Every day. And it all started with him. It all started with him, and it just became worse as the years went by until she just couldn’t deal with it anymore,” Markham said.
Many of the victims blame USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, which employed Nassar for years as the sexual abuse continued. USA Gymnastics says it acted appropriately and immediately notified authorities when it learned of Nassar’s abuse in 2015. Michigan State University says that no MSU official was aware of Nassar’s abuse prior to reports becoming public in 2016. But institutions are commending the young women for coming forward and telling their stories and making their voices heard.
“Little girls don’t stay little forever,” Kyle Stephens said, addressing Nassar. “They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.”