Prompted by a huge scandal that shook US gymnastics, several senators on Tuesday pushed for a bill that would criminalize the failure of amateur athletics governing bodies to report suspected sex abuse.
The Indianapolis Star newspaper reported late last year that 368 former gymnasts claimed to have been sexually assaulted by coaches or other adults involved in the sport over the previous 20 years.
The scandal led Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for the sport, to resign mid-March following allegations of turning a blind eye.
A bipartisan group of senators is now calling on Congress colleagues to pass a bill requiring bodies like USA Gymnastics, and adults who work with young athletes, to immediately report suspected sex abuse to local or federal law enforcement agencies.
According to the proposed legislation, failure to report such acts would be a federal crime.
It aims to make it easier for victims who wish to report their attackers, in particular through a call center that would guarantee them anonymity.
The new law would mandate greater oversight of adults in gyms, and trainers accused of sexual abuse would be kept on record to prevent them being able to reoffend simply by changing their workplace.
“The bill is very common sense. We want to make crystal clear that national governing bodies have a responsibility to protect young athletes,” said Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein.
“The culture was money and medals. The culture wasn’t about the girl.”
This law, she said, would send a message to the 50,000 gyms across America: “This is a new day.”
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal also denounced the abuse of gymnasts who were girls at the time.
“The betrayal of trust here was especially outrageous,” he said.
“The culture of silence imposed on them was the result of systematic, relentless, cruel pressure.”
The weekly paper that broke the scandal has since gained access to internal USA Gymnastics documents showing that coaches found guilty of sexual assault continued to work in clubs after their convictions.
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