Time's Top 100 Features Rachael Denhollander Who Exposed Sex Crimes of Doctor Larry Nassar
Rachael Denhollander, a former gymnast who preached the Gospel at the trial of former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, and also accused Sovereign Grace Ministries of sex abuse cover-up, has been featured in Time magazine's top 100 most influential people in the world list for 2018.
Aly Raisman, a fellow U.S. gymnast and Olympian gold medalist, wrote the profile for Denhollander in the list that was released on Thursday.
"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," Raisman explained.
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"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," she continued.
"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!"
In January, Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to the possession of 37,000 images of child pornography and to first-degree sexual assault against 10 young women. As many as 200 women had filed police reports against the former physician for decades of abuse.
At Nassar's sentencing, Denhollander, a Christian, extended forgiveness and preached the Gospel.
"God really directed my words, and I'm very grateful for His direction," she said at the time. "I really had to wrestle with, 'What do I say? What does Larry need to hear?' Ultimately, what he needs to hear the most is the Gospel, because that is the greatest hope for me, it is the greatest hope for Larry, and it is the greatest hope for all of us."
Denhollander directly told Nasser, "I pray you experience the soul-crushing weight of guilt so you may someday experience true repentance and true forgiveness from God, which you need far more than forgiveness from me — though I extend that to you as well."
In a separate instance in February, Denhollander stood by her statements calling Sovereign Grace Ministries "one of the worst, if not the worst, instances of evangelical cover-up of sexual abuse" over a 2012 sexual abuse case against the evangelical, Reformed, and charismatic network that was dismissed.
Victims at the time alleged that church leaders, including Sovereign Grace founder C. J. Mahaney, "conspired and continue to conspire" to "permit sexual deviants to have unfettered access to children for purposes of predation and to obstruct justice by covering up ongoing past predation."
Mark Prater, executive director of Sovereign Grace Churches, shot back against her allegations that the 2012 case was only dismissed on technical grounds.
While praising her testimony against Nassar, Prater said:
"The Christianity Today article publicly mischaracterizes Sovereign Grace and C.J. based on accusations of which Rachael had no involvement and which are not true and have never been true. It's extremely difficult to respond to false accusations without appearing unsympathetic to victims of abuse. It is our sincere hope that this brief statement has done both by speaking truthfully, respectfully and in a way that honors God."
Denhollander responded by saying that although she is glad that SGC is concerned about victims of sexual assault, "I assure them the most unsympathetic thing they can continue to do is refuse to respond to the concerns of sexual assault victims, myself included. I have no need to be protected from any evidence or response they have. On the contrary, I have sought out this evidence and a response, for more than seven years."
