Last week, survivors of sexual abuse spoke to Congress about a new FBI report outlining the disastrous investigation into Larry Nassar, the former USA gymnastics physician.

As one survivor, Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney, put it, “They had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse and did nothing.”

Beginning as early as the mid-1990s, Nassar abused dozens of girls, criminal behavior that was finally stopped in 2018 when he was sentenced to 175 years in prison. One may ask, how could this level of abuse go on for so long?

The answer is simple, and disturbing: because we let it happen.

Team doctors, coaches, university personnel, USA Gymnastics and the lead law enforcement agency in the United States all ignored the charges of these young women, many of whom represented their country in competition. As the leading physician for a premier Olympic sport, Nassar wielded immense power over the women and girls he abused under the guise of help. Although Nassar is a monster, our society is to blame for a culture that continues to permit the abuse of women and girls, and doubts them when they come forward.

The #MeToo movement has prompted change, but there’s still so much work to be done.

When seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles testified at the hearing, she pleaded with the legislators to focus now on the young women coming up in sports, and protect them.

Read the full article about young women athletes by Andre Perry at The Hechinger Report.