Two-time Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman delivered a powerful speech in court on Friday, January 19, to testify about the abuse she endured at the hands of former team doctor Larry Nassar.
“Larry, you do realize now that we, this group of women you so heartlessly abused over such a long period of time, are now a force and you are nothing,” Raisman, 23, said during Nassar’s sentencing in the Michigan court. “The tables have turned, Larry. We are here, we have our voices and we are not going anywhere.”
She continued: “You are so sick, I can’t even comprehend what I feel when I think of you. You lied to me and manipulated me to think that when you treated me, you were closing your eyes because you had been working hard when you were really touching me, an innocent child, to pleasure yourself.”
Raisman previously said she would not be attending the sentencing but said in court that she decided to after watching the other women speak and realized that she too, needed to be there. The athlete praised the “army of survivors” who spoke out against Nassar before her during her statement. “Imagine feeling like you have no power or voice. Well, you know what, Larry? I have both power and voice and I’m only beginning to just use them,” she said. “All these brave women have power and we will use our voices to make sure you get what you deserve.”
More than 100 women are expected to address the former Michigan State University doctor in court. He was accused of inappropriate or abusive sexual behavior by more than 130 women and girls including gold medalists Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney.
Raisman recently took to Twitter to show support to Biles after she accused Nassar of sexual abuse. “I am so proud of you. You are incredible Simone. I stand with you,” Raisman tweeted on Monday, January 15. “I am shaking reading your post. I know we will all get through this together.”
She added in another tweet, “An investigation must be done on @USAGym I am sick over this. We must get to the bottom of how this disaster happened.”
Nassar pleaded guilty in November to molesting seven girls, three of whom were under the age of 13. He is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
