Rachael Denhollander addresses the court during her victim impact statement on the second day of sentencing for Larry Nassar on Feb. 2, 2018, in the Eaton County courtroom. Nassar faces three counts of criminal sexual conduct in Eaton. Denhollander was the first women to publicly accuse Nassar of abuse.
—Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly come forward with allegations of abuse by ex-MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, is now considered by TIME Magazine to be one of the world's 100 most influential people.
Under the "icons" label, Denhollander joins the likes of #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, U.S. Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, the trio of journalists behind the Harvey Weinstein abuse reports and others.
Other "most influential" people are grouped under the "leaders," "pioneers," "titans" and "artists" labels.
Former U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman, also a survivor of Nassar's sexual abuse, penned Denhollander's tribute.
"'How much is a little girl worth?' That’s the simple yet powerful question Rachael Denhollander posed to a packed Michigan courtroom in January," Raisman wrote. "Rachael, like so many of us, was a victim of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics and Olympic team doctor, and she was the first to draw public attention to his sexual abuse. But through her strength and resolve, she is a survivor.
"None of us could have anticipated or prepared for the onslaught of emotions we’d experience just by being in that courtroom. It was overwhelming. And yet Rachael was there for each court session of that sentencing, each impact statement and each fellow survivor. This show of courage and conviction inspired many people to feel less like victims and more like survivors. We still have a long way to go before we achieve all the change that is so desperately needed, and I am grateful to be fighting alongside Rachael, my sister survivor!"
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
