Disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar says he can’t handle listening to his victims’ statements

Since the onset of the #MeToo movement, sexual abusers are finally starting to get retribution. Larry Nassar, former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, is currently being tried for his systematic abuse of young girls. But Nassar attempted to win sympathy in the courtroom, telling the presiding judge that listening to his victims’ accounts was too emotionally taxing.

Nassar wrote a six-page letter decrying the perceived injustice. In addition to writing that it was too difficult to listen to his victims’ accounts of their assaults, he accused Judge Rosemarie Aquilina of making the trial “a media circus.”

Aquilina dismissed Nassar’s complaints with derision after reading excerpts from the letter during the hearing on January 18th.

"You may find it harsh that you are here listening. But nothing is as harsh as what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands," she said to Nassar.

More than 130 women have accused Nassar of molesting them when they were underage. Olympic medalists McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman are among those who say they were assaulted by Nassar. And recently, Olympian Simone Biles said Nassar also abused her in a statement posted to her Twitter account on January 15th.

Feelings… 💭 #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018

In November, Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault. As part of his plea bargain, 98 of Nassar’s victims were allowed to make statements in court. And more women have volunteered to give their statements, bringing the total to 105. In one statement, Kyle Stephens recounted Nassar assaulting her for six years and how he made her parents believe she was a liar. She ended her testimony by saying that Nassar had been arrested on her charges.

"Little girls don't stay little forever," she said. "They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world."

'Little girls don't stay little forever. They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.'

Kyle Stephens confronts former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar at his sentencing [WARNING: Graphic] pic.twitter.com/MGpepEVYER

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 16, 2018

The former doctor has already been sentenced to 60 years for child pornography and faces an additional 25 to 40 years for sexual assault. He is expected to be sentenced on January 19th.

Nassar’s systematic abuse of girls in his care as a doctor is despicable, and we’re glad that Aquilina is giving his victims the chance to tell their stories. We support Nassar’s victims and all survivors of sexual abuse, and we hope their abusers are brought to justice.