The testimony of 4 U.S. gymnasts and the impact of trauma and abuse

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Wednesday, four members of the USA gymnastics team - Simone Biles, Ally Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols, some of the most recognized elite athletes in the world, laid their hearts bare before senators on Capitol Hill to tell their truth about the abuse they endured from the person who was supposed to be a trusted adult in their lives, their team doctor.

I won’t bother with his name, you know it by now. The names of these brave young women are important right now.

I made a point of listening to their entire testimony on C-Span because they deserve to be heard. While they are representing our country on the world stage at the highest level and bringing home gold medals at the very least we owe it to them to listen to them.

In painful detail, they told about their abuse and what happened when as children they reported it to not just USA gymnastics leaders, but FBI authorities in Indianapolis and nothing happened.

A year passed before investigators moved on their stories of abuse. To hear that crimes against women are minimized and discounted is nothing new, but to hear crimes against children are getting the same treatment is disgusting.

Ally Raisman said it’s like handing children over to a pedophile on a silver platter.

Thursday, I  talked to child psychologist Dr. Paulette Rowe about the impact of trauma like this.

Rape response is also a good place to start to get help if you know of someone who has this trauma. Counselors are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. I talked to a counselor who told me hearing the testimonies of the ladies could trigger the trauma in others who have experienced it, so please get help.

Rape Response - 205-323-7273

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