Stephanie Logue 

Staff Writer 

szl414@psu.edu

Simone Biles, known to be an artistic gymnast with a total of 30 medals at the Olympics and World Championships, is also showing great power with her voice. On Wednesday September 15th, Simone with Maggie Nichols, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman  in a Senate hearing spoke about the FBI’s mismanagement of the sexual-abuse case involving former national gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.

The four athletes, who have all strongly come out and publicly stated they were sexually assaulted by Nassar, detailed years of protection by the FBI, USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to defend and maintain Nassar’s reputation. Nassar proceeded to work as a doctor at Michigan State University after being discreetly removed from the USAG in 2016, until he was arrested and charged with child pornography, tampering with evidence as well as  sexual violence, abuse  and molestation of juveniles. According to http://www.thecut.com and a Michigan judge,it is known that Nassar has at least abused 256 victims.

According to the players’ statements, all three institutions were aware of Nassar’s charges well before any action was taken and they let him continue assaulting young athletes under his supposed care for more than a year after the abuse was discovered. At the senate trial, the four women spoke words that made their mark and will remain with the public;

“To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse” Simone Biles stated. 

Maggie Nichols, stated, “The survivors of Larry Nassar have a right to know why their well-being was placed in jeopardy by these individuals who chose not to do their jobs.”

McKayla Maroney stated “I told the FBI all of this and they chose to falsify my report, and to not only minimize my abuse but silence me yet again.” 

Also, Aly Raisman stated “Being here today is taking everything I have….I don’t think people realize how much it affects us, how much the PTSD, the trauma, impacts us.” 

The hearing comes after a Justice Department inquiry revealed that the FBI agents investigating Nassar’s case broke agency regulations by concealing the complaints against Nassar for months before initiating an investigation. Nassar allegedly assaulted up to 70 athletes between July 2015, when USAG first reported the allegations to the FBI and October 2016, when the Lansing, Michigan, division officially launched its investigation.

The FBI wasn’t the only agency that kept quiet about the charges. Biles testified that the United States of America Gymnastics (USAG) knew she was a possible victim of Nassar’s assault as early as May 2015, when Nichols informed the organization’s Women’s Program director of her suspicions. Biles said she had no clue there were even reports of Nassar’s abuse out there during the summer of 2016, when she competed in the Rio Olympic Games as part of Team USA. She learned about the case through an Indianapolis Star piece in the fall of that year, which was also the first time the claims were made public. 

Biles also mentioned this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, when she was forced to withdraw from the women’s team finals due to mental health issues.

“The announcement in the spring of 2020 that the Tokyo Games would be postponed by a year meant that for another 365 days, I would be coming to the gym, training, treatment, and living among the reminders of this story,” Biles said. “I should never have been left alone to suffer Larry Nassar’s abuse,” she continued.

Director of the FBI Christopher Wray also testified, apologizing for the agency’s mistakes. He apologized to the gymnasts, saying, “I am deeply and profoundly sorry that so many people have let you down again and over again.” Also added, “On no planet is what happened in this case acceptable.”

From this day and the future their powerful testimonies, courage and activism brought out the systematic issues with survivors seeking help. Sexual assault survivors desrve to always have their voice heard and so much more from the system. 

If you or anyone you know have faced sexual abuse please do not hesitate to use this resources: 

For Behrend’s website and Behrend’s resources, please use these: 

• Penn State Behrend’s Website:
• Home -> Student Life -> Student Services -> Health and Wellness Center -> Sexual Assault 
• -Here below you will find some of the valuable resources online. There are more listed there
• Penn State Behrend’s Code of Conduct Includes a policy statement on sexual assault and abuse in the Code of Conduct. Violations of the policy are subject to disciplinary proceedings through Judicial Affairs.
• Assisting Victims of Sexual Assault
• Policy AD85: Sexual Assault, Relationship and Domestic Violence, and Stalking provides information about the services and reporting guidelines for sexual assault victims at Penn State.
• From the website, there is also Penn State Behrend’s Police Services: 
• (814)-898-6101 to arrange for an escort for a safer alternative to walking alone. 
• The website has also listed Penn State Behrend’s Personal Counseling Services: 
• Provides sexual assault counseling, including crisis services, through the Personal Counseling Office. Located in the Reed Union Building, first floor. 

Other than Penn State Behrend’s sexual assault resrouces, you can also use: 

• National Sexual Assault Hotline
• Hours: Available 24 hours 
• For their contact number please call: 1-800-656-4673
• Website: nsvrc.org