Biles Battles Trust After Nassar Abuse
The aftermath for one of Nassar’s many abuse victimsNiquel TerryAssociated PressFebruary 1, 2018
Five-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles says she still has a hard time trusting people after being sexually abused by Larry Nassar, the former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor.Biles appeared on NBC News’ “Megyn Kelly TODAY” on Wednesday where she opened up about going back to school, a Lifetime movie about her that will air Saturday, and the abuse by Nassar.“It feels like he (Nassar) took a part of me that I can’t get back,” Biles said on the show. “So I am still working on that part, so it is very hard.”Biles, 20, admitted that for a long time she tried to carry on as if the abuse never happened.However, she said it was “very saddening” when she faced the reality.“So the main part that he took away from me that I will never get back is trust,” Biles told Kelly. “So I think it is very hard for me to trust some other people, and I find myself even walking down the street or being in places, I am just very scared.”Biles said she even kept it from her parents.“And then you just come to realize that it has happened, and I think that is when I broke down about it because nobody wants their daughter or just even as an individual to have that happen to them,” Biles said. “So it feels like he took a part of me that I can’t get back.”Nassar was sentenced to 40 years to 175 years imprisonment in Ingham County for first-degree sexual misconduct charges after more than 150 women and girls said he sexually abused them.More women have come forward for his sentencing in Eaton County.Biles came forward Jan. 15, saying she was among the victims who endured sexual abuse under the guise of treatment by Nassar.She joined other star Olympic gymnasts who have said that Nassar abused them, including Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman.In her initial statement, she called Nassar’s behavior “unacceptable” for someone she was told she could trust.“We need to know why this was able to take place for so long and to so many of us,” Biles wrote in the statement which she shared via Twitter using the #MeToo hashtag. “We need to make sure something like this never happens again.”Biles was among the most decorated woman athletes during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, winning five medals, four of them gold.