WAG Disturbing article (IndyStar Article on USA Gymnastics Enabling Sexual Abuse)

[amiandjim]

I find this very disturbing if true...thoughts??

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...nastics-sex-abuse-protected-coaches/85829732/

 

[Mamabearof3]

Oh man that is horrible! I had to stop reading!

 

[GymDad9.9]

I believe this was highlighted on CBS This Morning today. I didn't get a chance to watch.

 

[l.c.o]

That is so disturbing and sad.

I was also a wee bit annoyed and disappointed when my DD pointed out a MAG gymnast she follows on Instagram (Horton - had to look it up) chastised USA Today for printing the article right before the O's because the athletes should be able to (and I quote) "enjoy the glory of the games without this garbage".

OK so now more of that quote since I'm more than a wee bit annoyed now that I read the whole thing: "Is it an issue? Sure, but now isn't the time. Let's celebrate the hard work of the Olympians without putting a stain on my sport for the month".

While a (very) small part of my agrees with some of this sentiment, I kind of feel like now is the exact right time in a way - maybe it'll motivate USAG to review its policies? I feel like this sort of attitude (like Horton) is why these problems still exist. Like it's ok since the ends justify the means? (Quick edit to add: I mean this as in, let's continue to keep quiet so we can grow this sport...).

Am I making too much of this?

While it would be unfortunate that the whole sport may end up with a "stain", perhaps it'll encourage parents, children, coaches, etc, to be more vigilant and aware.

 

[ladybird]

USAG published a response to the article. I saw it on the myusagym app but I don't know how to link here.

 

[amiandjim]

https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=18996&prog=

 

[amiandjim]

I have seen a few people on other forums and such commenting on the timing and that the Star is using the Olympics for more publicity but honestly, IF the instances in this article are true, I say good for them! There is no way a coach should be let go for sexual misconduct at more than one gym and STILL be coaching!!!

 

[notthatmom]

Today is my work conference where Dominique Moceanu is speaking and I just finished chatting with her about this exact thing.
I don't have time to share all that she said at the moment but I'll be back later to share with you all.
She's an amazing person though, and is a great activist for the victims of this issue, always has been.

 

[Gymmommy71]

There are also a lot of new parents signing their little ones up for gymnastics because of the Olympics. The media, as always, is trying to release the story when it's most likely to get the most attention/have the most shock effect. Kind of like releasing stories about unsafe toys right before the Christmas shopping season - which they always used to do when I was growing up and still today (those sensationalized stories about flaming hoverboards stopped me from buying one this Christmas season).

I do think the story is horrifying if true though .

 

[GymDad9.9]

Truly horrible. Where you would think an issue so straightforward, clear and abhorrent as child abuse would warrant an aggressive zero tolerance policy by USAG, this article shows how muddy the water can get. Shame on USAG for their beyond weak approach and pathetic excuses. Gym owners, parents and other witnesses to these terrible destructive actions need to contact the authorities directly. The USAG needs to be taken to task to implement policies to protect their members, our children.

 

[gymgal]

Why didn't the clubs and other coaches report it to authorities? They are also mandated reporters. Not saying that USAG in the clear here but the clubs and coaches are first line and should have reported their suspicions even before filing with USAG

 

[GymDad9.9]

Why didn't the clubs and other coaches report it to authorities? They are also mandated reporters. Not saying that USAG in the clear here but the clubs and coaches are first line and should have reported their suspicions even before filing with USAG

That occurred to me as well. It's easier said than done and people are generally apprehensive, fearful, head-in-the-sandish, about things like this. In my family we had the opposite happen with disastrous results. An innocuous phone conversation between two sister-in-laws took a benign statement that a younger niece "looked" thin and was taken by one of them to call Children Services from 3,000 miles away to report that the parents were abusing/starving the child. The person making the call was a licensed social worker with high managerial responsibilities who had "authority". Lo and behold Children Services came out at night with a van on a major holiday weekend prepared to take the child away. They didn't, Thank God, but the traumatic damage was done. Was the call made maliciously considering the person making the call was 3,000 miles away? I thought so but no one wanted to take that any further either.

 

[gymgal]

That occurred to me as well. It's easier said than done and people are generally apprehensive, fearful, head-in-the-sandish, about things like this. In my family we had the opposite happen with disastrous results. An innocuous phone conversation between two sister-in-laws took a benign statement that a younger niece "looked" thin and was taken by one of them to call Children Services from 3,000 miles away to report that the parents were abusing/starving the child. The person making the call was a licensed social worker with high managerial responsibilities who had "authority". Lo and behold Children Services came out at night with a van on a major holiday weekend prepared to take the child away. They didn't, Thank God, but the traumatic damage was done. Was the call made maliciously considering the person making the call was 3,000 miles away? I thought so but no one wanted to take that any further either.

I hear you. that is exactly why people don't report things - in case they are wrong. They don't want to put the child/family/suspected person through it. But the law in many states requires reporting even if you are not sure. It is the police and child protective services'responsibility to determine if the report has merit.

I am just saying that if USAG had complaints, that means the people filing the complaints had enough reason to be suspicious and if so, they should have reported. Some of the complaints appear to be vague - this guy shouldn't be coaching, shouldn't be around kids. It is like they were trying to use language to alert the USAG without having to report themselves. USAG should have followed up - no doubt about it. "Why do you think he is a bad coach?" If the people filing the complaints don't have any supporting evidence (which may be why they didn't go to authorities in the first place) then the USAG can't really do anything either. Just being a "bad coach" isn't enough because it is subjective. Abusive, dangerous, then yes. but "bad" isn't enough.

 

[oplei]

Isn't one of the points of the article that USAG was protecting its institution rather than the kids? This is news and if it hurts more now because people are excited about gymnastics than I am ok with that. I don't care who you are, successful USAG, successful NCAA, Boy Scouts, Catholic church, etc. if you are an institution that does not deal with abuse proactively and you have to be shamed into reactive responses so be it. No one wants pedophiles as part of their organization but unfortunately pedophiles do not have tattoos labeling them as such and they end up in our quality institutions. It's a fact that some are going to fool even the best screening tools. But that being said there is no excuse for not fully investigating claims.

 

[notthatmom]

Ok so now that I'm finally home from the conference, I'd like to share

Dominique was getting emails/texts/phone calls from all sorts of media outlets today while she was prepping for her speech. She let us (small group of executives including myself) know what was going on so she could explain why she had to be on the phone a bit this morning. I had lunch with her so I got a great perspective of it all from her first hand.
Her first and foremost comment was "timing never matters when it comes to doing the right thing" basically meaning, who gives a crap if the Olympics start tomorrow, that doesn't negate the fact that something needs to be done about this.

It's been difficult for her to figure out how to make a statement on this issue because she has to be mindful of USAG so that they don't take offense to what she says. She did release a statement via her Facebook page which you can go and read, and I don't want to divulge too much more of what she said beyond that due to the sensitivity and privacy of the subject.

She has long been an advocate of athletes who have experienced abuse and she tries very hard to insure that they are heard.

I feel for her as I understand why she has to be so careful of what she says about issues such as this.

Personally, I somewhat understand why USAG wants to ensure they get both sides of every story before they take action, but they're doing it backwards in my opinion if that makes any sense.

 

[Randomactsofcheer]

Personally, I somewhat understand why USAG wants to ensure they get both sides of every story before they take action, but they're doing it backwards in my opinion if that makes any sense.

I agree. The USAG needs to come up with a policy on how to respond to these complaints that are not made directly by a victim or victim's family member. Their policy seems to be "wait and see" if a victim comes forward, otherwise, keep quiet.

The USAG should be following up on every complaint. In the case where the coach had been fired from multiple gyms, they should have called each gym owner and asked them how they knew of the inappropriate behavior, what actions they took to contact the victims' families and the authorities. And if they fired him based on comments made to coworkers, they should have had the coworkers give written statements as to what they witnessed.

The bottom line is that there is a line between inappropriate and illegal. It sounds like the bulk of what the USAG has been doing is compiling complaints over the years of inappropriate, but not yet illegal behavior. At what point should the USAG step in and say,"This coach has been let go from three gyms for behavior that is clearly inappropriate. Given his history, we are going to ban him from coaching minors." Or at least alert the next gym that hired him to be on the lookout for inappropriate behavior.

It is such a sticky situation. I honestly think the timing of this article is perfect. It will be much more difficult to sweep under the rug. Hopefully a full investigation will be done to ensure that the USAG is protecting children, not just themselves.

 

[raenndrops]

Why didn't the clubs and other coaches report it to authorities? They are also mandated reporters. Not saying that USAG in the clear here but the clubs and coaches are first line and should have reported their suspicions even before filing with USAG

MY guess is that they figured reporting it to USAG would be enough to launch an investigation (Even though anyone reading the USAG policy knows that it has to come first hand from an athlete or parent of the athlete). The people who reported otto USAG passed the buck and USAG had a policy they followed. It sucks!

There are "mandated reporters" and I think sports coaches / club owners SHOULD be on the list if they are not currently.
If you SUSPECT, you REPORT to LAW ENFORCEMENT.

 

[my4buffaloes]

This is horrible. One question I have is why did the parents not go to authorities? My first thought would never be to go to USAG in a situation like this. The police is who I would go to.

 

[skschlag]

MY guess is that they figured reporting it to USAG would be enough to launch an investigation (Even though anyone reading the USAG policy knows that it has to come first hand from an athlete or parent of the athlete). The people who reported otto USAG passed the buck and USAG had a policy they followed. It sucks!

There are "mandated reporters" and I think sports coaches / club owners SHOULD be on the list if they are not currently.
If you SUSPECT, you REPORT to LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Here, they are mandated reporters. D started coaching this summer and had to take the mandated reporting class. So all coaches, even teens, are mandated reporters.

 

[mmarlow]

It may very well be that some of the parents were unaware. Victims will not always tell their parents for fear of upsetting them. The most upsetting piece of this story is about Bill McCabe. In writing gym owners begged USAG to stop him from coaching children. To me they knew his history and did nothing.