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Or Keeping Up the Reputation?


Continuing with the film Athlete A, directed by Bonnie Cohen, reporters for The Indianapolis Star uncovered the buried sexual assault within the USA Gymnastics organization and published their first story. After publication, former gymnasts such as Rachel Denhollander, Jessica Howard, and Jamie Dantzscher came forward about the sexual assault they experienced from the gymnastic doctor Lawrence (Larry) Nassar. In the interview with Rachel, she explained how when she reported her sexual abuse to the head coach at the gymnastics building where she was told, “When I was told that no one else is saying what you’re saying... um, and... and cautioned even about speaking out, because of the ramifications...” Many gymnasts reported their abuse; instead of help, they got reminded of the consequences of reporting such actions of a famous and widely loved man. While interviewing the former gymnasts’ reporters uncovered the horrendous conditions the girls went through at an early age from

their coaches. Doing so blurred the line between being a demanding coach and abuse training them to keep their silence. As the reporters published more articles on the topic, more gymnasts started flooding in, all with their own sexual abuse story from Larry Nassar. While interviewing the gymnasts and their families, reporters also uncovered the extent of USA Gymnasts president Steve Penny’s failed attempts to divert worried parents and victims to cover up the assaults and save Larry Nassar’s reputation and his own. Eventually, thirty-seven thousand images of child pornography were found, and Larry was arrested. Larry was found guilty of sexually assaulting one hundred and fifty-six young girls. Steve Penny was later arrested for tampering with evidence of the Nassar case.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11905462/

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