Gymnastics Coach Martha Karolyi says “I don’t feel
responsible” for Nassar Abuse
Bela and
Martha Karolyi, the most powerful people in women’s gymnastics, claim to know
nothing about the Nassar abuse. Larry
Nassar was the USA gymnastics team doctor and has been admitted in court to use
his influence to sexually abuse young girls for the past 20 years, and is in
prison for child pornography charges.
While the Karolyis feel bad that it happened, even in their own ranch,
even the parents couldn’t tell what was going on when they were in the same
room as their children. McKayla Maroney,
an Olympic gold medalist, has questioned how the two didn’t know what was going
on because she said they knew everything about what she did. Maroney has tried
to come out before, and talked about what was going on, even in front of a
coach, and nothing was done about it.
And that was seven years ago. She
finally got the courage to speak up about what was going on again after being
sexually abused hundreds of times. The
Karolyis feel like everything that they were working for has been destroyed
because of the lies of Nassar.
The article
was written by Eric Levenson on April 23, 2018 for CNN. The article is important because even some of
the most well-known athletes in the country can been abused and when speak up
about it, can be shut down. This can be
really frightening to anyone, but especially young girls who seem to be the
target very often. The article is
significant because it shows how easily people can cover things up if they
don’t want anything to get out, and how hard it is for secrets to find their
ways to officials and the public. The
article can be compared to all the secrets and scandals that go on in the
government, like the Teapot Dome Scandal when Warren Harding’s cabinet members
had secret deals to lease land to private oil companies by bribe because there have been secrets and lies told for 20 years and nothing has been said or done until one person spoke out.
you're right, it is really scary that even a woman with this much fame, respect, and prestige would still be pushed down and silenced. i hope this incident brings people to realize that they need to listen more attentively to victims of sexual abuse.
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