Athletes and Sexual Assualt

My collage on athletes and sexual assault was inspired by this story on Bernard King. In the story, King, who was charged with sexually abusing a woman in Salt Lake City, January 1, 1980, is celebrated for his ability to come back and make the basketball Hall of Fame. The celebration of King as a comeback story is indicative of the struggles and problems in athletics, and our society's ability to forgive athletes for sexual abuse cases if they are capable of doing great things on the court or field. Given that women's athletics got started later in history than men's athletics -- and faced many trials and tribulations to get to where it is now -- sexual abuse in sports is oftentimes every bit as much about not holding men accountable as it is what female athletes experience. However, recent incidents like the Larry Nassar scandal at Michigan State involving the school's gymnastics program, makes it clear that female athletes are by no means safe from abuse. Recent sexual abuse scandals and investigations in major universities' athletic departments make it clear that sexual abuse and assault throughout sports is not something that has disappeared through time.