Monday, April 23, 2018

Brooke Simpson-Gymnastics Coach Martha Karolyi says "I don't feel responsible" for Nassar Abuse

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.

1 comment:

  1. 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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