The seventh and last day of victims' statements at USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's sentencing provided perhaps the most powerful testimony of the week.
Rachel Denhollander was the first victim to come forward to accuse Nassar of sexual abuse while she was a student at Michigan State University. She was alone with her accusations for months, until dozens more women came forward to reveal they too had been abused by Nassar. She shared her story again in court on Wednesday, shortly before her abuser was sentenced to 175 years behind bars.
"Larry meticulously groomed me for the purpose of exploiting me for his sexual gain," Denhollander said. "He penetrated me, he fondled me, and then he whispered questions in my ear about how it felt. And he enjoyed it. He asked how it felt because he wanted to know."
During one visit, Denhollander recalled tearfully how Nassar tried to use his own daughter as a pawn for his crimes.
"You used your own daughter to manipulate me. And every time I held my babies, I prayed to God you would leave your abuse in the exam room and not take it home to the little girl born with black hair just like her daddy," Rachael Denhollander says https://t.co/KWY1pm3GPO pic.twitter.com/qxuZNkdMfH
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 24, 2018
"I can speak the truth about my abuse without minimization, or mitigation, and I can call it evil, because I know what goodness is." she said. "And this is why I pity you."
Denhollander earned the rightful praise of the judge.
Judge Aquilina to Rachael Denhollander: "You started the tidal wave. You made all of this happen. You made all of these voices matter. Your sister survivors and I thank you. You are the bravest person I have ever had in my courtroom." https://t.co/KWY1pm3GPO pic.twitter.com/beMPHpCxup
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 24, 2018
Among the other young women who shared their stories of abuse was 15-year-old Emma Ann Miller, who described herself as perhaps "the last woman" Nassar will ever assault. Miller explained that Nassar inappropriately touched her at Michigan State University. Unbelievably, she is still being billed by the school for those appointments.
Both MSU, as well as USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee, are being condemned by the victims for allowing Nassar to continue to have access to young women. Olympians like Aly Raisman have publicly criticized the committee and AT&T announced Tuesday that it is suspending its sponsorship of USA Gymnastics.
Michigan assistant attorney general Angela Povilaitis commended all of the young women who had come to the courtroom to tell their difficult stories.
"We have seen the worst of humanity and the best, in the past few days," she said, adding that all of the victims who spoke out were her "heroes."
You can watch Denhollander's full testimony below.
