I was raped by my gymnastics coach; 'We were trained to say nothing bothered us'

Over the years I have been the beneficiary of this woman's fierce truth, her strength, and her kindness. She has been a friend offering comfort when needed and an inspiration fueling the fire to move this project forward. In light of the attention given to USA Gymnastics failures (and worse) she told her story to espnW. It is with respect, love and admiration that I share her story here, knowing how great an impact it can and will have on those who may feel that they are lost, or alone. -- Chris Gavagan, dir. Coached into Silence

‘Former gymnast felt compelled to share her ordeal...in the hopes that her story, when added to the voices of other young women, can help to enact change.'

Sexual predators left off list of banned USA Gymnastics coaches

USA Gymnastics touts a list of coaches it has banned as a key safeguard to warn gym owners and parents about dangers, including sexual predators.

And to protect young gymnasts.

But an IndyStar investigation has uncovered one example after another of coaches who were not only suspected of abuse, but actually convicted of molesting children, yet they did not show up on the banned coaches list for years — even decades — after that conviction.

How to protect your child from sexual predators

Abuse can be inflicted by coaches, adult volunteers, staff members or teammates. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security because a coach is nice. Individuals who sexually abuse children often know they need to create a sense of safety and trust with the people around them, so that concerns are dismissed.

A blind eye to sex abuse: How USA Gymnastics failed to report cases

Top executives at one of America’s most prominent Olympic organizations failed to alert authorities to many allegations of sexual abuse by coaches — relying on a policy that enabled predators to abuse gymnasts long after USA Gymnastics had received warnings.

An IndyStar investigation uncovered multiple examples of children suffering the consequences, including a Georgia case in which a coach preyed on young female athletes for seven years after USA Gymnastics dismissed the first of four warnings about him.

Her First Olympics, She Went For Herself. Now, She’s Going For Other Survivors.

Kayla Harrison doesn’t want future victims of child sexual abuse to ever feel as alone as she did.

Lester: No suburban public schools ban solo meetings of coaches, athletes→

 "I think you've just got to be clear with (coaches) and clear with the kids, to know what's an appropriate behavior and not appropriate behavior."

AAU sued for allowing Rick Butler to coach in under-18 tournament→

"Butler was under a lifetime ban from a different national organization, USA Volleyball, for initiating sexual relationships with three underage players in the mid-1980s. The advocates said that that by affiliating itself with Butler, the AAU, the largest youth sports group in the nation, was ignoring reforms it put in place after sexual-abuse allegations against its former president four years earlier."

Former tennis star Bob Hewitt ordered imprisoned→

Hewitt, 76, a deposed Tennis Hall of Famer who has been on house arrest at his South African citrus farm since his convictions, is expected to surrender to police, who will transport him to prison. The sentence means he will serve at least three years.

Private schools, painful secrets→

The Globe Spotlight team has turned its investigative focus on private schools, beginning its series this weekend. "At least 67 private schools in New England have been affected by allegations of sexual abuse by employees disclosed over the past 25 years."

"The schools, many with rich histories and famed alumni, have often struggled to balance the need to respond robustly to abuse allegations with a desire to guard their reputations. Historically, few allegations were reported to law enforcement, and many schools avoid publicizing them even today. Getting past the schools’ reticence is a challenge; because these are private institutions, they are exempt from public records laws. And when the Globe sent surveys to 224 private schools on their experience with sexual misconduct allegations, only 23 — about 10 percent — chose to reply."

Australian Olympic Committee asks Brazil not to take Volkers to Rio→

The Australian Olympic Committee has asked the Brazil not to select former Australian Olympic swimming coach Scott Volkers for their Olympic team, amid child abuse allegations.

The Australian Olympic Committee president, John Coates, wrote to Brazilian committee president Carlos Nuzman last week to express the committee’s disappointment that Volkers was never convicted for allegedly abusing swimmers in the 1980s and 1990s.

As reported in July 2014, three of Volkers’ former swimmers, Julie Gilbert, Kylie Rogers and Simone Boyce claimed they were abused as children while training in Volkers’ swim squad in the 1980s and 1990s. A detailed account of the three swimmers’ allegations can be read here.

What still matters in Penn State's sordid scandal: No one stopped Jerry Sandusky→

Essentially, there is this: How many allegations can there be that Paterno was told something, only for his supporters to keep claiming he didn't know anything?

Child told Paterno of sex abuse in 1976, court papers allege→

It came in the form of a single line in a court order on a related insurance coverage case involving Penn State, and its full ramifications can't immediately be gauged.

But that line was eye-popping in itself.

The line in question states that one of Penn State's insurers has claimed "in 1976, a child allegedly reported to PSU's Head Coach Joseph Paterno that he (the child) was sexually molested by Sandusky."

Dennis Hastert Sentenced to 15 Months, and Apologizes for Sex Abuse→

CHICAGO — J. Dennis Hastert, once among the nation’s most powerful politicians, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 months in prison for illegally structuring bank transactions in an effort to cover up his sexual abuse of young members of a wrestling team he coached decades ago.

Olympic speedskater joins push to pass N.Y. child abuse law→

ALBANY — The effort to pass legislation that would allow sexually abused children to bring lawsuits as adults will get a personal assist next week from Olympic speedskater Bridie Farrell.

Farrell, who has accused Olympian speedskater Andy Gabel of molesting her when she was just 15, will take part in a press conference and roundtable discussion in Albany on May 3 to build support for the Child Victims Act.