Law firm Drew, Cooper and Anding in Grand Rapids have filed a civil lawsuit in Federal Court accusing Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics of ignoring years of sexual abuse by longtime sports physician Dr. Larry Nassar as more and more women are coming forward claiming abuse. Currently, there are 18 women named as victims in the lawsuit, and that number may rise.
“We filed these complaints," said attorney Stephen Drew, "because we believe these defendants, Michigan State University, USA gymnastics, a Twistars Gymnastics club, failed to protect from sexual abuse, those who should have been most important to them. Their young athletes.”
Nassar is accused of sexually abusing dozens of female gymnasts during his 20 year tenure as a USA gymnastics doctor. Rachael Denhollander, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said after she reported Nassar’s sexual abuse to Gymnastics and MSU officials, her complaints were ignored.
“This morning, I, along with 17 other women have filed a civil lawsuit against against Dr. Larry Nassar, USAG, and Michigan State University for the repeated sexual assaults by Larry Nasser and the deliberate indifference that both MSU and USAG to these events," Denhollander said. "Allowing his sexual abuse of women and children to continue for decades.”
In December 2016, Nassar was arrested on Federal child pornography charges. Authorities say the doctor had thousands of images and videos he took of the abuse using a go-pro camera. He is being held without bond.
Denhollander said the hardest part is having to continue reliving the memory.
“But the reality of sexual abuse is this: a pedophile is only as prominent as the people around him allow him to be,” she said.
Michigan State University said it could not comment on the federal lawsuit.
