Amanda Thomashow: The Demand for Attention That Helped Many Others
In 2014 a young woman named Amanda Thomashow came forward and filed the first report against Larry Nassar, the USA Gymnastics physician, for sexual assault. Her reason for coming forward: “If I didn’t say something and protect possible victims, I wouldn’t be ok with that”.
He was first interviewed by the Michigan State University police, the school Thomashow attended, the official police then talked to Larry Nassar in 2014 where he stated that he had been “doing medical manipulation treatments since 1997”, he proceeded to claim that he had no “ill-intentions” and claimed that he was the “body whisperer”.
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| Amanda Thomashow |
Weeks later, the school then informed Ms. Thomashow that he had followed medical procedures, they weren’t sexual, and there was nothing else that they could do for her. She didn’t feel like she was being taken seriously and the conclusion to the claim was a short three sentences which wrapped and sweep the claim under the rug. Thomashow was devastated as all her courage to come forwards was easily dismissed, “it felt like they were just covering it up”.
In 2016, the university had another claim filed against Nassar which allowed for this case to be reopened, yet the school is still trying hard to fight these claims off and states that “no MSU official believes that Nassar committed sexual abuse prior to the newspaper report of late summer 2016.”
Yet in recent news people have come forward saying that Nassar’s sexual assault has never been dealt with in the past. The former CEO of USA Gymnastics informed others of Nassar’s sexual misconduct when people had filed complaints, he took this to his superiors and to the CEO of the Olympic committees yet no action was taken.
In light of these new claims, this investigation is still going to see whether or not the people who abstained from taking action will be charged, yet Nassar has been sentenced to 40 - 125 years in Eaton County, thanks to the many victims who have come forth and Nassar.
In conclusion, I think that this story has a good ending. A victim of sexual assault sees their offender in jail. The process and lengths that this young lady had to go through to have this ending is a flaw in today’s society. The fact that it took 180 girls to come forward and maybe even more to have this man behind bars is something that needs to change. The idea that superiors were notified of these incidences and no one came forward to try and change, people let him get away with it for years, it shows the perception of rape in today’s society: no one wants to come forward and deal with the problem when the simple solution is to sweep it under the rug and save an organization’s reputation.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/
This was very brave of Amanda, the young woman to be the first one to come forward regarding sexual abuse. If this had not been done Nassar would have continued to prey on these innocent girls who have been to scared to come forward, and continue to get away with it. I see why they had the fear of doing so, they feared they would not be believed and perhaps make fools out of themselves if they had done so. His remark regarding his confrontations about sexual abuse, calling himself a "Body whisperer" is absolutely disgusting, to think that this is how molesters think of themselves to justify his wrongdoings while completing the act is completely inhumane. He well deserved life behind bars.
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