Victim and former gymnast Whitney Mergens speaks at the sentencing hearing for Larry Nassar, a former team USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty in November 2017 to sexual assault charges, in Lansing, Michigan

Victim and former gymnast Whitney Mergens: “He believed he could relieve some back pain. With my mother in the room, he managed to slip his cold bare hands up my shorts and slid his fingers into the most personal area of my body. As he pushed I was in much discomfort. It felt like it would last forever. When it was over my 11-year-old innocent mind was oblivious to what had just happened. I knew it hurt, but he was the Olympic doctor, so I thought it must have helped.”

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid