What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics (Hardcover)

"Recipient of Sports Illustrated's Inspiration of the Year Award and one of Time's 100 Most Influential People (2018) "Who is going to tell these little girls that what was done to them matters? That they are seen and valued, that they are not alone and they are not unprotected?" Rachael Denhollander's voice was heard around the world when she spoke out to end the most shocking scandal in US gymnastics history. The first victim to publicly accuse Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor who abused hundreds of young athletes, Rachael now reveals her full story for the first time. How did Nassar get away with it for so long? How did Rachael and the other survivors finally stop him and bring him to justice? And how can we protect the vulnerable in our own families, churches, and communities? What Is a Girl Worth? is the inspiring true story of Rachael's journey from an idealistic young gymnast to a strong and determined woman who found the courage to raise her voice against evil, even when she thought the world might not listen. This deeply personal and compelling narrative shines a spotlight on the physical and emotional impact of abuse, why so many survivors are reluctant to speak out, what it means to be believed, the extraordinary power of faith and forgiveness, and how we can learn to do what's right in the moments that matter most"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Anamie

Rachael Denhollander demonstrates why sexual abuse is underreported through her own experience in the face of a predator. It only takes a single violation of trust to begin living a life of fear. A reaction to abuse that is not commonly understood is freezing like a deer in the headlights. Danger

is approaching but there is shock of what to do. Denhollander's account adds to this perspective factored with power imbalance. Nassar got away with many girls for many years due to his trusted medical expertise and personable charm. However brave people including Denhollander started to fight back creating a domino effect against him.

This read was chilling with how normal her life was. Denhollander was your girl next door with a Christian loving family and later in life having an amazingly supportive spouse. As she points out, this comes from a place of privilege where she took the opportunity to defend other victims. She does this by exposing the ripple effects of her sexual assault in courtrooms and media. American culture is shifting its approach towards sexual abuse in a positive way but it still has a long way to go. This book is a contribution that will help shift cultural awareness on this topic.

Show Less

1 more

LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce

I have to admit that I didn't pay any attention to the Nassar story at the time except to be glad that another sexual predator had been caught and to slightly wonder how a doctor would go about sexually abusing patients. The most important thing about Rachael Denhollander, and what almost stopped

me from reading the book, is that she is very, very, very christian. You know, the homeschooled, small church kind of christian, and she pretty much shills for her religion throughout the book. But, in spite of her religion, or she would say because of it, her parents managed to raise a highly ambitious, intellectually, and physically accomplished woman who is determined to stand up for her rights and the rights of others. As a twelve-year-old, she started training in gymnastics only after her mother cautioned her that the sport can be damaging to young girls - pushing them beyond their endurance and promoting an unhealthy body image. She trained obsessively, as she does everything obsessively, and she injured herself in several ways, particularly her back and wrists. After going to doctors who didn't listen to her (that's a particular emphasis in the book - professionals who do and do not listen to the public) she found she could go to the famous Dr. Larry Nassar (whom she determinedly calls Larry throughout the book, you have to love that). He listened to her, he paid attention to her specific injuries, and gave her hope that he could treat them. He also, from the very first visit and with her mother right there in the room, slid his thumb and fingers inside her vagina while doing a pelvic adjustment. She and her mother had discussed the fact that some doctors do internal pelvic adjustments, but her mother thought that if it was determined that Rachel needed such treatment, they'd go to a female therapist. He never told them he was doing such a treatment, he never asked for consent, and he never wore gloves. This apparently is what he did to all his young, never been touched gymnasts and he was such an excellent doctor, with such a good reputation, that he got away with it for decades. Finally, years later when Rachel had become a lawyer she read a news story about girl-women gymnasts who were exposing the abuse they had suffered at the hands of coaches, and she emailed the man writing the articles to tell him that the famous doctor had sexually abused her and that she was willing to cooperate in any way, including the use of her name, to stop him. The rest of the book, much like Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller, describes the excruciating process of bringing a rapist to justice. I bought this book for my evangelical sister because I know she will appreciate the strong emphasis on religion, and I hope she'll accept Denhollander's statement that we have to root out rape culture wherever it is found: in sports, politics, or churches - even when exhibited by people we know and respect. It was pertinent that the slimy long-term after-effects of this doctor were highlighted in Simone Biles' breakdown at the Tokyo Olympics and also in recent articles that he is spending thousands of dollars on himself in prison while he sends about $3 a month to the mandated victim fund.

Show Less

Fewer