USA gymnasts are graceful while they perform in their glittering outfits. They win gold medals while the hearts of many fill with pride for the girls on their country’s team in every Olympic games. Many believed that USA Gymnastics National team was composed of the best doctors, coaches, and gymnasts. However, former doctor on the team, Larry Nassar, was sentenced up to 175 years for sexually assaulting more than 160 gymnasts and athletes. If a huge sexual assault scandal like this can happen to Olympic gold medalists, can it happen in our own communities?

Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, Mckayla Maroney, Simone Biles, and other members of the USA Gymnastics team have spoken out against Larry Nassar. Mckayla Maroney had accused Nassar of molestation during the London 2012 Olympic games, yet she didn’t receive any help from USA Gymnastics and was threatened to be fined if she publicly accused Nassar. Aly Raisman also received the same threat after she spoke out against Nassar, but the fine was not given to her when she publicly spoke out. Instead of being supported, the girls were treated as if they were doing the wrong thing by speaking up. These gymnasts are admired by so many young girls for their dedication and success in their sport, so how is it possible that they were trying to be silenced?

Simone Biles shared her story of sexual assault on Twitter with the hashtag, #MeToo. The #MeToo movement encourages people to share their sexual harassment and assault experiences in order to denounce this kind of abuse. The first gymnast to file a criminal complaint against Nassar in 2016 was Rachael Dehollander, and she also shared her story of sexual assault through the media. After The Indianapolis Star published an article about sexual abuse and USA Gymnastics team, Dehollander decided to contact them and share her story. Other victims of Nassar were encouraged to share their stories too and more than a 100 women did. Many of the gymnasts who would accuse Nassar weren’t listened to or were trying to be silenced, and this is why they shared their stories through social media and other news outlets.

Along with uniting together, the girls had a common “hero.”  This “hero” is Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, and she allowed all of the women who wanted to testify to do so. Days were spent in court while more than a 160 women and their parents, family, and friends stood by them as they spoke. Nassar wrote a letter to Judge Aquilina in which he claimed that she was inviting the media and the women to have the cameras on her. Nassar also wrote that he could not mentally handle listening to the testimonies of his victims for a couple of days. After reading Nassar’s letter out loud in the courtroom, Judge Aquilina pushed it aside and told him, “You may find it harsh that you are here listening but nothing is as harsh as what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands.” Judge Aquilina wanted to give all of the sexual assault survivors the chance to say their story in front of the man who took advantage of his position as a doctor to assault them. She believed that this would help them and give a message that women should no longer be silenced.

Middle College High School student, junior Amy Texzocotitla, is a professional cheerleader who has won the national championships twice. She has never been seriously injured before because of her sport, but like any other patient at a doctors appointment, she said, “I trust them to respect me and do their job.” As an athlete, Texzocotitla is upset that something like this happened but is glad that Nassar was caught and the survivors are receiving justice. “Those athletes trusted him to look after them and he took advantage of it,” Texzocotitla said.

This unfortunate event encourages women and all sexual assault survivors to no longer fear speaking up. These girls refused to keep quiet and found a “hero” in Judge Aquilina; social media and the press helped these girls be heard. If something like this can happen in the Olympic team, in front of the cameras, then it can happen in our communities. As a community, we need to talk, listen, and support. We need to talk to girls and boys about respect; they should give it and get it. We need to listen when others are telling us they feel uncomfortable or feel like something wrong was done to them. When we don’t listen, they start to believe no one will. When something is done, we need to support because justice is done when people unite to help one another.

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— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) January 21, 2018