Gold medalist Aly Raisman's incredible testimony against monster doctor sparks applause in courtroom
In 12-plus minutes of riveting testimony, three-time Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman stared down and called out Larry Nassar for sexually abusing her and countless other women while he was the team doctor for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team team.
Raisman got an ovation from those in the Michigan courtroom after her testimony, in which she lashed out at the “monster” who abused her and the people who enabled him.
“Larry, you do realize now that we, this group of women you so heartlessly abused over such a long period of time, are now a force and you are nothing,” Aly Raisman said, looking directly at Nassar.
In November, Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
“The tables have turned, Larry,” Raisman said. “We are here, we have our voices and we are not going anywhere. And now, Larry, it’s your turn to listen to me.
“I cannot adequately capture the level of disgust I feel when I think about how this happened. Larry, you abused the power and trust I and so many others placed in you. And I am not sure I will ever come to terms with how horribly you manipulated and violated me.”
Raisman, who won gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, then detailed what he did to her.
“I am here to face you, Larry, so you can see I’ve regained my strength, that I’m no longer a victim,” she said. “I’m a survivor. I am no longer that little girl you met in Australia, where you first began grooming and manipulating. …
Amazing strength and poise.
— College Football Thoughts (@CFB_Thoughts) January 19, 2018
“Imagine how it feels to be an innocent teenager in a foreign country, hearing a knock on the door and it’s you. I don’t want you to be there but I don’t have a choice. Treatments with you were mandatory. You took advantage of that. You even told on us if we didn’t want to be treated by you, knowing full well the troubles that would cause for us.”
She provided a harrowing account of the abuse she suffered.
“I cant even comprehend how angry I feel when I think of you,” Raisman said. “You lied to me and manipulated me to think that when you treated me, you were closing your eyes because you had been working hard when you were really touching me, an innocent child, to pleasure yourself. …
“Imagine feeling like you have no power and no voice. Well, you know what, Larry, I have both power and voice, and I am only beginning to just use them. 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.”
Raisman expressed her anger and disgust that Nassar’s abuse was allowed to happen for so long.
“Your abuse started 30 years ago, but that’s just the first reported incident that we know of,” she said. “If over these many years just one adult listened and had the courage and character to act, this tragedy could have been avoided. I am so many others would have never ever met you. Larry, you should have been locked up a long long time ago.”
Seeing your support and appreciate it more than you will ever know. Thank you…..
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) January 17, 2018
She concluded with some harsh words for USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
“Neither USA Gymnastics nor the USOC have reached out to express sympathy, or even offer support, not even to ask: ‘How did this happen? What do you think we can do to help?’
“Why has the US Olympic Committee been silent? Why isn’t the USOC here right now? Larry was the team doctor and he molested me at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
https://twitter.com/Luvssports40/status/954419596148248576
In closing, she asked the judge to “investigate how this happened so we can hold accountable those who empowered and enabled Larry Nassar.”
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