YOU WILL SEE ONLY ON DAYBREAK
-- RACHAEL DENHOLLANDER, THE
FORMER GYMNAST WHO WAS FIRST
TO PUBLICLY ACCUSE DOCTOR
LARRY NASSAR OF SEXUAL ABUSE,
NOW WANTS INVESTIGATIONS OF
INDIANAPOLIS POLICE AND THE
FBI. NEWS 8'S DEMIE JOHNSON
TRAVELED TO DENHOLLANDER'S
LOUISVILLE HOME TO TALK ABOUT
THOSE INVESTIGATIONS, WHAT
SHOULD HAPPEN WITH USA
GYMNASTICS, AND HER MESSAGE TO
SEX ABUSE SURVIVORS. WE DO
WANT TO TELL YOU WHILE HER
WORDS ARE NOT GRAPHIC... SHE
DOES TALK ABOUT THE SEX ABUSE
CASE, AND IT COULD BE
UPSETTING FOR SOME TO HEAR.
NOW OUR CONVERSATION WITH
RACHAEL DENHOLLANDER.
*DEMI*) ((DEMIE: "WHEN YOU
HEARD OTHER PEOPLE'S
STORIES... IT MADE YOU
REALIZE, I'M NOT CRAZY. THIS
REALLY DID HAPPEN TO ME,
HAVING GONE THROUGH THAT, DO
YOU BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING A
LOT OF SURVIVORS STRUGGLE WITH
IS QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT
THEY KNOW THEMSELVES WELL
ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THIS
ACTUALLY DID HAPPEN TO
THEM.")) ((RACHAEL: "YEAH,
THAT OFTEN TIMES BECAUSE THE
ABUSER IS SOMEONE THAT YOU
KNOW, SOMEONE THAT YOU SHOULD
BE ABLE TO TRUST, THERE'S THIS
DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHO THE
PERSON IS AND WHAT THEY HAVE
DONE. A CHILD IS NOT SEXUALLY
DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND
A LOT OF THE PHYSICAL CONTACT
AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO
THEIR BODY. SO THERE ARE A LOT
TIMES THOSE QUESTIONS OF WHAT
REALLY HAPPENED, HOW DO I
CATEGORIZE THIS AND ONCE YOU
GET TO THAT POINT THEN THERE
ARE THE QUESTIONS OF WAS IT
REALLY THAT BAD? SHOULD I
REALLY BE THIS DAMAGED? AM I
JUST BEING OVER DRAMATIC, WHY
CAN'T I HEAL FROM IT? "))
((DEMIE/: "IN THE EPILOGUE YOU
ADDRESS THE INSTITUTIONAL
CHANGE OR LACK THERE OF SINCE
LARRY NASSAR RECEIVED HIS
SENTENCE AND THAT'S BEEN
ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. HAS USA
GYMNASTICS CHANGED FOR THE
BETTER SINCE THEN?))
((RACHAEL: "NO. THE HONEST
ANSWER IS NO. AND WE'RE STILL
WAITING TO SEE ANY CHANGE AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNVIERSITY TOO.
THEY HAVE YET TO COMMISSION AN
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION TO
FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG AND
WHY IT WENT WRONG. THEY HAVE
YET TO AKNOWLEDGE, BOTH
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE YET TO DO
THAT. BOTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
YET TO ADMIT A SINGLE FAILURE.
SO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS ARE
ENTIRELY UNWILLING TO TAKE
RESPONSIBLITY FOR WHAT
HAPPENED. THEY ARE ENTIRELY
UNWILLING TO ADMIT ANY
FAILURES. THEY ARE ENTIRELY
UNWILLING TO EVEN LOOK FOR
THEM AND THAT'S DEVASTATING TO
ALL OF US.")) ((DEMIE/:"DOES
USA GYMNASTICS CARE ABOUT ITS
ATHLETES?")) ((RACHAEL/: " I
THINK IF THEY CARED THEY WOULD
DO THE RIGHT THING. AND
THEY'RE NOT DOING THE RIGHT
THING. WHAT THEY'VE GIVEN IS
LIP SERVICE, THAT'S NOT REAL
CARE.")) ((DEMIE/:"WHAT IS THE
RIGHT THING?")) ((RACHAEL/:
"THE RIGHT THING IS WHAT I
TELL MY KIDS TO DO. I HAVE
FOUR LITTLE KIDS. THEY'RE
7,5,4 AND 13 MONTHS. AND IF
ONE OF THEM HURTS ANOTHER ONE
OF THEIR SIBLINGS, A SQUABBLE
OVER A TOY.. I REQUIRE THEM TO
SAY I AM SORRY THAT I, AND TO
IDENTIFY WHAT THEY DID WRONG
AND I'M SORRY THAT IT, AND TO
IDENTIFY THE DAMAGE THAT IT
CAUSED. YOU KNOW THAT IT HURT
YOU WHEN I HIT YOU ON THE
HEAD. AND THEN I REQUIRE THEM
TO ASK THE QUESTION HOW CAN I
MAKE IT RIGHT? HOW CAN I
REPAIR THE RELATIONSHIP? TO
IDENTIFY WHAT THEY DID WRONG,
TO ADMIT THE DAMAGE THEY
CAUSED AND TO ASK HOW THEY CAN
MAKE IT RIGHT. I DON'T THINK
IT'S TOO MUCH TO EXPECT A
BOARD OF ADULTS WHO ARE IN
CHARGE OF THE SAFETY OF
CHILDREN TO DO WHAT I REQUIRE
MY 3 YEAR OLD TO DO."))
((DEMIE/: "SO DO YOU THINK USA
GYMNASTICS SHOULD BE
DISBANDED?")) ((RACHAEL/:
"ABSOLUTELY, THEY ABSOLUTELY
NEED TO BE. BECAUSE WE HAVE
GIVEN THEM NOT JUST THREE
YEARS SINCE LARRY BUT
LITERALLY DECADES. THE PROBLEM
OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND PHYSICAL
ABUSE AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE HAS
BEEN DISCUSSED FOR DECADES.
LITERALLY DECADES. AND THEY
HAVE BURIED IT, THEY HAVE
SILENCED EVERYONE WHO HAS
SPOKEN UP, THEY HAVE ISOLATE
ATHLETES WHO TOLD THE TRUTH
AND THEY HAVE STILL REFUSED TO
ADMIT THE PROBLEMS. THIS ISN'T
A LARRY PROBLEM, IT'S NOT A
THE LAST THREE YEARS PROBLEM.
THIS IS A DECADES LONG
PROBLEM. IT IS DEVASTATING TO
THE SURVIVORS NOT JUST OF
LARRY'S ABUSE BUT OF THE
COACHES SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL
AND VERBAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE
BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT
THEY'RE BEING TOLD IS IT'SNOT
THAT BIG OF A DEAL. IT DOESN'T
MATTER. AND ONE THING THAT WE
HAVE SEEN STATISTICALLY OVER
AND OVER AGAIN IS THAT THE
AMOUNT OF HEALING A VICTIM HAS
AND THE DEPTH OF THE DAMAGE
FROM SEXUAL ABUSE IS
DIFINITIVELY LINKED TO THE
RESPONSE THEY RECEIVE WHEN
THEY SPEAK UP AND SO WHEN USAG
CONTINUES TREATING THESE WOMEN
LIKE THEY DON'T MATTER, LIKE
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM ISN'T A
BIG DEAL, LIKE IT'S NOT WORTH
FIRING ENABLERS AND ABUSERS,
LIKE WE'RE THE PROBLEM. WHAT
THAT DOES, IS IT DEEPENS THE
DAMAGE.)) ((DEMIE/: "THE FBI
AGENTS WHO ACTIVELY
INVESTIGATED NASSAR, AND HE
WAS STILL ABLE TO
PRACTICE...")) ((RACHEL: THERE
WERE FBI AGENTS THAT ACTUALLY
INVESTIGATED HIM? BECAUSE I
DON'T THINK THEY DID. THEY
DIDN'T. THEY SAT ON IT. THE
FBI SAT ON REPORTS OF SEXUAL
ABUSE AGAINST NASSAR FOR 16
MONTHS AND WHEN I CAME FORWARD
THEY SIAD OH WAIT WE'VE BEEN
DOING SOMETHING. BUT THE PAPER
TRAIL DOESN'T LINE UP. THE FBI
DIDN'T INVESTIGATE LARRY, WHAT
THE FBI DID WAS LET HIM
CONTINUE SEXUALLY ASSAULTING
CHILDREN FOR 16 MONTHS AND I
WANNA KNOW WHY. YOU KNOW WE
HAVE THE IMPD WHO WAS
COLLABORATING WITH STEVE
PENNY, WE HAVE EMAILS BACK AND
FORTH FROM THE IMPD EVEN
HELPING STEVE PENNY COVER SOME
OF THESE THINGS UP. THERE
NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION
INTO WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON
AT IMPD TOO. THERE'S A LOT
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CLEAN
UP THIS MESS." ))
((DEMIE/:"WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
TO SOMEONE WHO FEELS LIKE
THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH
OR POWERFUL ENOUGH OR THEIR
STORY ISN'T BIG ENOUGH TO
SHARE IT AND TO TELL SOMEONE
ABOUT THEIR ABUSE?"))
((RACHAEL/: "YOU KNOW
EVERYONE'S VOICE IS POWERFUL.
THERE IS ALWAYS POWER IN
SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND YOU
KNOW LIKE A PEBBLE THAT'S
DROPPED INTO A LAKE AND YOU
SEE THE RIPPLES, YOU DON'T
ALWAYS KNOW HOW FAR THE IMPACT
GOES BUT ALL OF US HAVE THE
ABILITY TO INFLUENCE CULTURE.
ALL OF US HAVE THE ABILITY TO
INFLUENCE PEOPLE AROUND US, TO
HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND TO
REACH FOR HEALING, YOU KNOW TO
FIND YOUR VOICE AGAIN. I'D SAY
DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT
OF ONE PERSON.")) ((DEMIE/:"IT
DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE?"))
((RACHAEL: "NO IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHO YOU ARE. I WAS A
MOM OF 3 LIVING IN A 1,000
SQUARE FOOT HOUSE IN
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. IT
DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE.
YOU KNOW AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THE RESULT AND THE OUTCOME
WILL BE OF EVVERY PERSON
RAISING THEIR VOICE BUT I DO
KNOW THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF
POWER IN THAT AND THERE'S
ALWAYS AN IMPACT WHEN YOU TELL
THE TRUTH. ALWAYS."))
*SCOT*) NEWS 8 HAS REACHED
OUT TO EACH OF THE PEOPLE AND
GROUPS THAT DENHOLLANDER
MENTIONED. *KYLI*) LET'S
START WITH THE FBI. THE AGENCY
SAID IT HAD NO COMMENT, BUT AN
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S
INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY ON
THE FBI'S HANDLING OF THE
CASE. INDIANAPOLIS POLICE
SHARED A STATEMENT WITH US. IT
SAYS IN PART "AFTER
ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT WERE
BROUGHT FORWARD LAST FALL,
CHIEF ROACH DIRECTED INTERNAL
AFFAIRS TO INVESTIGATE BRUCE
SMITH'S ACTIONS DURING THE
TIME IN QUESTION". THE
DEPARTMENT THEN EXPLAINED
INTERNAL AFFAIRS ONLY HAS THE
AUTHORITY TO LOOK INTO ACTIONS
THAT ARE "UNDER THE SCOPE OF
IMPD GENERAL ORDERS" THAT WERE
CARRIED OUT IN "OFFICAL
CAPACITIES". AFTER A MONTHS-
LONG INVESTIGATION,
INDIANAPOLIS POLICE SAY THEY
FOUND SMITH DID NOT VIOLATE
ANY I- M-P-D POLICY OR
PROCEDURE.
*SCOT*) NOW TO
INDIANAPOLIS- BASED USA
GYMNASTICS - WHICH ALSO SHARED
A RESPONSE WITH NEWS 8. ITS
STATEMENT TO US SAYS "WE
ADMIRE RACHEL DENHOLLANDER'S
COURAGE, AND THAT OF ALL OF
THE SURVIVORS, IN SHARING HER
STORY AND BECOMING AN ADVOCATE
FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN. U-S-A
GYMNASTICS ALSO SAYS IT HAS
MADE NUMEROUS CHANGES TO MAKE
SURE IT KEEPS "ATHLETE SAFETY
AND WELL-BEING AT THE
FOREFRONT AND PROMOTES A
CULTURE THAT PREVENTS THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR ABUSE" THE
ORGANIZATIONS SAYS ONE OF
THOSE CHANGES INCLUDES AN
UPDATED "SAFE SPORT POLICY"
THAT WAS ADOPTED IN JUNE. IT
ENDS BY SAYING IT ACKNOWLEDGES
"WE NEED TO AND CAN DO BETTER
FOR OUR ATHLETES AND THE
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE":
*KYLI*) WE ALSO REACHED
OUT TO MICHIGAN STATE
UNIVERSITY, WHICH SAYS THE
SCHOOL "HAS BEEN AND IS UNDER
A DOZEN INVESTIGATIONS FROM
FEDERAL AND STATE
ORGANIZATIONS INTO LARRY
NASSAR AND HIS ABUSE... WE
HAVE COOPERATED WITH ALL OF
THE INVESTIGATIONS." THE
UNIVERSITY ALSO SAYS "WE ARE
FULLY COMMITTED TO ACCEPTING
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHANGE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE
FINDINGS AND REPORTS."
MICHIGAN STATE SAYS IT HAS
APOLOGIZED TO THE SURVIVORS
AND THE COMMUNITY FOR THE
SCHOOL'S FAILURE TO PROTECT
THEM.