When Larry Nassar was sentenced to a maximum of 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting girls and young women in his care, some watched the proceedings in disbelief. Maya Weinstein, a 23-year-old law student who followed the case closely, felt relief wash over her when Judge Rosemarie Aquilina handed down the most severe sentence possible to the former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor. Weinstein, a survivor of sexual assault, felt a kinship with Nassar's victims, one that drew her to the case.

I think that survivors have this bond, whether we know each other or not," said Weinstein. "I don’t know any of these women or girls, but I can kind of imagine how they feel.

The widespread condemnation of Nassar, the outrage aimed at the institutions that protected him, and the praise for the 156 women who read aloud their victim impact statements in court as part of a plea deal, sent a profound message to survivors:

Maybe public attitudes about abuse are changing, maybe more people will believe survivors.

While some argue that Judge Aquilina overstepped her role, survivor Raquel Fatiuk said watching her preside over the sentencing was an incredible experience: "She’s making survivors feel like we’re human, finally."

Fatiuk is hopeful that coverage and discussion of Nassar's abuse and sentencing will help change public attitudes about sexual assault, starting with the importance of believing victims when they report their experiences.  She believes that the judge's treatment of survivors, along with Nassar's sentence, may encourage victims to more readily disclose abuse and assault.

Read the full article about sending a hopeful message to survivors by Rebecca Ruiz at Mashable.