A week after Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas’ response to teammate Aly Raisman speaking publicly about the sexual abuse she says she was subjected to by a former U.S.A. Gymnastics doctor, the three-time gold medalist, on Tuesday, announced she, too, was a victim of sexual abuse by Dr. Larry Nassar. Nassar was the national gymnastics team doctor for nearly two decades before being fired in 2015 for using medical treatment as cover to sexually abuse more than 140 women, almost all of them teenage gymnasts.
In an Instagram post Tuesday, Douglas apologized for her commenting on Raisman’s case in a now-deleted tweet that said “it is our responsibility as women to dress modestly and be classy. dressing in a provocative/sexual way entices the wrong crowd.” Douglas went on to indirectly allege Nassar of abusing her, too. “I know that no matter what you wear, it NEVER gives anyone the right to harass or abuse you. It would be like saying that because of the leotards we wore, it was our fault that we were abused by Larry Nassar,” Douglas wrote. USA Today confirmed with a rep for the gymnast that she is saying Nassar abused her.
Nassar has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault; he also faces 33 charges of criminal sexual conduct in Michigan, where he practiced, and has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography. Nassar is also facing civil suits from more than 125 women and girls.
