‘Shame on you’: Disgraced sports doctor’s victims speak out

AFTER being sexually abused by a disgraced sports doctor, 15-year-old Emma Miller received one final insult for her medical “treatment”.

Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar listens to victim impact statements during his sentencing hearing. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFP

AFTER five days of tears, anger, and relief, more than 100 girls and woman who gave statements against disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar have been praised for their bravery.

The US judge who heard the brave women’s statements, Ingham Country Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, said the women were “survivor warriors” after girls as young as 15 revealed shocking details of being molested by the once respected doctor.

Nassar, 54, has admitted to molesting athletes during medical treatments when he was employed by Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, where he was trusted to treat the nation’s top Olympians and girls as young as 12.

Among them was Emma Ann Miller, 15, who said she was possibly Nassar’s final victim, because he was let go by the university just the week after her final “treatment” at Michigan State University in August 2016.

Ms Miller said the university was still billing her for medical appointments in which she said the doctor sexually assaulted her. A spokesman for the university said the allegation was being addressed and assured the Associated Press she would “not be billed”.

Earlier victims include gold medallist Simone Biles and other high profile Olympians who have made victim statements at Nassar’s sentencing hearing.

More than 100 victim statements from women and girls who say Nassar sexually assaulted them under the guise of medical treatment have been heard with the number of victims wanting to speak up growing by the day. More than 140 victim impact statements are now expected.

Nassar has already been sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography crimes. He faces a minimum prison sentence of 25 to 40 years in the molestation case. The maximum term could be much higher.

Emma Ann Miller, 15, bravely delivered her victim impact statement on Monday. Picture: Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal via AP

‘SHAME ON YOU, LARRY. SHAME ON YOU’

Victims have described being “preyed on” by Nassar in emotional statements to the court.

“Larry, how many of us are there? Do you even know?” asked Clasina Syrboby, as she fought back tears while speaking for more than 20 minutes Monday. “You preyed on me, on us. You saw a way to take advantage of your position — the almighty and trusted gymnastics doctor. Shame on you, Larry. Shame on you.”

Another victim Taylor Livingston spoke about the guilt she felt after concealing the abuse from her father who died last year.

“When you die, you’re going to hell,” she told Nassar. “But there will be a pit stop on the way where you’ll have to face my dad, who now knows what you’ve done ... and when you do, you will suffer.”

Ms Livingston was 13 at the time of her first appointment with Nassar in 2009, and said the abuse left her with constant depression and anxiety.

“Life is a chore,” she said. “Life is a constant fight.”

In another session of the hearing last week, gymnastics star Aly Raisman faced down Nassar in court, calling him “sick” and demanding an independent probe to find out how he was apparently able to abuse young girls for years with impunity.

“You are so sick. I can’t even comprehend how angry I feel when I think of you,” the now 23-year-old said. “You took advantage of our passions and our dreams

Ms Raisman slammed the institutions where Nassar worked and was seemingly able to commit abuse undetected, lashing out at USA Gymnastics for “rotting from the inside.”

“Even now, after all that has happened, USA Gymnastics has the nerve to say the very same things it has said all along. Can’t you see how disrespectful that is? Can’t you see how much that hurts?” she said.

“We need an independent investigation of exactly what happened, what went wrong, and how it can be avoided for the future. Only then can we know what changes are needed.”

Several of Nassar’s victims said their complaints about Nassar had been ignored, and slammed the institutions that allowed him to continue practising.

“Several people did speak up. Why didn’t anyone listen or care enough to do anything?” asked Paula Daniels, whose daughter Samantha was identified as a victim of Nassar’s abuse.

Another statement came from Donna Markham, who told of how her 23-year-old daughter Chelsey killed herself in 2009, years after Nassar sexually abused her during a medical examination.

“It all started with him,” she said, describing her daughter’s downward spiral into drug abuse.

‘I KNEW IT FELT STRANGE’

Victims described experiencing “searing pain” during the assaults and having feelings of shame and embarrassment.

Many said it had changed their life trajectories — affecting relationships, causing them to be distrustful and leading to depression, suicidal thoughts, and anger and anxiety about whether they should have spoken up sooner.

“He touched the most innocent places on my body,” said 17-year-old Jessica Thomashaw, recounting how she was sexually assaulted at ages nine and 12. “I couldn’t be just a normal girl anymore, and I forever lost a big piece of my childhood due to his abuse.”

Several victims, including members of the celebrated 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning squad, have said Nassar molested them in the guide of medical treatment.

Olympian Jordyn Wieber said she was scared to question his actions.

“He treated us monthly at all of our national team camps,” she said. “I knew it felt strange, but he was the national team doctor. Who was I to question his treatments?”

Former family friend to the Nassar family, and babysitter to Nassar's children Kyle Stephens was the first victim to speak. Picture: Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal via AP

Kyle Stephens, the first victim to speak, said Nassar repeatedly abused her from age 6 until age 12 during family visits to his home. She said he rubbed his genitals on her and digitally penetrated her, among other abuse. She said Nassar denied it, and her parents initially believed him.

Stephens said she largely blamed her father’s suicide on the shame and self-loathing he felt for defending Nassar.

“Perhaps you have figured it out by now, but little girls don’t stay little forever,” Stephens said. “They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.”

PREDATOR WAS ‘CLEARED’ BY UNIVERSITY

A number of victims have criticised Nassar’s former employers, including the US Olympic Committee, for not doing enough to stop the then trusted doctor when initial complaints were made years ago.

Three top board members of USA Gymnastics have resigned in the wake of the abuse cast, along with the coach of the 2012 Olympic team.

Chairman Paul Parilla, vice chair Jay Binder and treasurer Bitsy Kelley announced on Monday they were stepping down.

Michigan State’s gymnastics coach and another sports doctor quit under pressure last year.

The university will also undergo an investigation by the Michigan Attorney-General’s office.

The university board chairman said on Saturday: “We look forward to a prompt and thorough investigation by the Michigan Attorney-General’s Office to help reassure the public that the university and its leadership have nothing to hide.

Complaints about Larry Nassar’s behaviour had been investigated and ‘cleared’ by the University he worked for. Picture: Dale G. Young/Detroit News via AP

“As our outside counsel, former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, has written to the Attorney-General, we believe “the evidence will show that no official believed that Nassar committed sexual abuse prior to newspaper reports in the summer of 2016.”

A probe conducted by the university cleared Nassar of sexual assault allegations in 2014. At least 12 reported assaults occurred after the investigation was concluded, according to a university police report that was provided to the FBI for review by the U.S. attorney.

JUDGE PRAISES ‘ARMY’ OF VICTIMS

The judge overseeing the sentencing of said on Monday that more than 100 girls and women who had given statements so far at the five-day hearing were “sister survivor warriors”.

“I want to you know that your face and the face of all of the sister survivor warriors — the whole army of you — I’ve heard your words,” Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said after a woman spoke in her Michigan courtroom. “Your sister survivors and you are going through incomprehensible lengths, emotions and soul-searching to put your words together, to publicly stop (the) defendant, to publicly stop predators, to make people listen.”

Earlier, she told a 31-year-old victim who said she was assaulted by Nassar 20 years ago: “You shouldn’t be angry with yourself. You went to him for pain and healing, and you didn’t know. No one faults you or any other victim for that. You were a child.”