Larry Nassar,
You were just sentenced to 40-125 years in prison for sexual assault. You victimized students at Michigan State University and gymnasts for the United States' Olympic Team. You used your calling, privilege, and position to "fondle and digitally penetrate" over 140 girls and women over the past two decades plus.
At 54 years old, you no longer have a life. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina just "signed your death warrant." But, if we are being honest, did you even have a life before?
Sure, you traveled across the globe and had worldly experiences that many of us could never afford. You went to London and Rio with the Fab Fives of 2012 and 2016. You gained the trust of dozens of athletes over the years and their families as a world-renowned doctor. This must not have been good enough for you.
To the young girls and teenagers who had to sit idly by for years while you continued to get away with your disgusting actions, yours will be a face they can never forget. It will haunt their dreams for the rest of their lives, and there is "evidence for greater difficulties in interpersonal and particularly intimate relationships among adults who were sexually abused in childhood."
According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, studies by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, show that:
- 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse;
- Self-report studies show that 20% of adult females and 5-10% of adult males recall a childhood sexual assault or sexual abuse incident;
- During a one-year period in the U.S., 16% of youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized;
- Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized;
- Children are most vulnerable to CSA between the ages of 7 and 13.
In short, Larry, you have spent over 20 years as a contributing statistic, and that weighs on the sweet girls whose innocence you so easily and swiftly took.
Even if you can live with yourself, we know your wife and three children can't. Stephanie filed for divorce from you a year ago this month and sought sole custody of your kids. What kind of message is this sending to the love of your life and the kids who need a father figure?
You are telling your poor ex-wife that the private parts of young girls are much more than what she has to offer, that love means nothing without a little groping, and that the consequences don't matter so long as it made you feel good.
Your children will now have a distorted view of how to parent their own children, how to love their spouses, and how to treat others. Worst of all, they will never again see you as their hero. I bet you didn't think that part through, either.
Larry, as much as the general public is gagging at your fantasies that are sending you behind bars, anyone who is a woman or loves and appreciates women is thrilled you will never see the outside world again. For once, the justice system got it right.
