Download Abused Surviving Sexual Assault and a Toxic Gymnastics Culture Rachel Haines 9781538123850 Books

Product details Hardcover 144 pages Publisher Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (April 12, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1538123851

Abused Surviving Sexual Assault and a Toxic Gymnastics Culture Rachel Haines 9781538123850 Books Reviews

• The title of the book "Abused" describes not only the heinous acts that Rachel and so many others gymnasts endured, but it also addresses the abuse of respect, trust, and power. I could not put the book down... I found myself nodding my head in acknowledgement of the idiosyncrasies regarding the world of gymnastics, crying as Rachel described her injuries and working through the pain, and finally feeling intense anger at the abuse she and so many others suffered at the hands of someone they should have been able to trust.
• I could not put this book down. The raw ness and vulnerability is just unbelievable. I smiled during this book, and I cried during this book. Rachel has remarkable strength.
• Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
  
  This story will grab you and not let you go until you reach the last word. It may even stay with you, with the atrocities and pressure that author Rachel Haines sustained buried deep in the back of your mind.
  
  It is easy to think of gymnasts the same way we consider ballerinas ethereal, feminine, able to perform superhuman feats of leaping and twisting that doesn’t seem possible. However, the two fields possess a few more similarities that are not so desirable. Both contain instances of eating disorders, perfectionism, toxic cultures….and abuse. In 2018 the prestigious New York City Ballet fired two male dancers after harassment charges had been brought against them. The history of abuse, both physical and sexual, is storied in the ballet world. Men (whether dancers or choreographers) hold all the power, and women are treated as second class citizens.
  
  It seems that men hold all the power in gymnastics as well. Last year the horrific story about Larry Nassar’s hundreds of victims surfaced, which empowered other victims to come forward and share their story of the abusive culture they experienced. Coaches such as John Geddert and Bela Karolyi used their temper to mentally and physically abuse gymnasts under the guise of “encouragement” or to “toughen them up for competition”. The athletes were surrounded by a cloak of silence, looking inward and wondering if they were misreading Nassar’s “treatments”, which included taking pills and/or enduring digital manipulation (internal and external). As time went on, the gymnasts became inured to what was happening to them and accepted it as part of their lot in life. After all, they had chosen to be gymnasts, and to deny or expose this part would result in them being shunned or removed from the environment they knew and loved. As Haines notes, being a gymnast was her reason for living. No matter how painful or stressful it was, she was first and foremost, an elite athlete who performed gymnastics for a living. She knew of no other world, nor did she want to.
  
  As Haines became more competitive, she sustained a horrific injury to her back (it was broken in multiple places) and had to work through pain on a daily basis. Nassar made sure to give her many “treatments” while telling her that while her back was injured, she was still cleared to perform her routines. As time went on, her legs grew numb. Her pre-competition ritual consisted of slathering immense amounts of Icy Hot on her legs, then punching them or cutting them so she would be able to detect a modicum of sensation. As I read further into the book, I was speechless at how she was able to keep performing (check out her videos on YouTube). Once, her legs betrayed her during competition. She bravely took a moment, then got back on the beam to complete her routine. If that is not courage, strength, pluck, bravery, and badassery, then I don’t know what is. Yet, through all of this, she was filled with self-doubt and impostor syndrome. Haines felt like she could never be equal to others and would often compare herself to other gymnasts. This left her wanting to be better, to be worthy, to be deserving.
  
  Women are usually their own worst critics. The pressure Haines put on herself was unbelievable, as her fierce spirit held her in good stead throughout multiple years of practice, excruciating pain, and sexual abuse. Despite all her achievements, Haines still believed she was not good enough. This book will take you through her entire gymnastics journey, the highs and lows, the pain and the victories. It will also give you new respect for Haines and the other gymnasts who had to suffer through Nassar’s years of abuse. Haines bares her soul, her doubts, and her faith in this book, and I am sure it was not an easy task. Looking inward, then speaking out is one of the most intimidating things a woman can do; and Haines showed us her strength and wisdom, even as she confronted Nassar at his trial.
  
  If this story does not move you or fill you with pride at how these women were able to overcome adversity, you had better check your pulse.
• Thank you to NetGalley, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, and Rachel Haines for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
  
  My rating is 4.5 stars, but since there aren't half stars I always round up.
  
  Like
  - She was able to speak her truth and current perspective of John Geddert. She enjoyed having him as a coach. Many other people have spoken out against his abusive coaching techniques, which I absolutely believe. But the problems of the sport of gymnastics are not one sided, so its good that everyone can tell their story.
  - Hearing her perspective of the story (her’s only), not just what we were getting from the media
  - I can see this being the first of many books written, by different authors, about the same subject. Finally the world is getting a more complete view of gymnastics - the good and the bad.
  
  Love
  - She’s using her voice to tell her story and speak out against the abuse and toxic culture of the sport.
  - Discusses the abuse without being unnecessarily overly graphic, IMO
  - Discusses the abusive culture of gymnastics as a whole, because it’s not just one person’s bad actions
  
  Dislike
  - The culture of abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) that’s been allowed throughout the sport of gymnastics, because of the people in charge not putting athlete safety and well being first
  
  Wish that
  - It was a bit longer. The content is great and the perfect length, but I would have liked to hear more about the sport as a whole and the culture of abuse across multiple gyms. Maybe that’s for another book and I would absolutely read that too.
  
  Overall, a very necessary book about the current culture within the sport of gymnastics. A great read about a difficult topic. I think everyone needs to read Rachel’s story, especially anyone currently or ever involved in the sport.
• This book is amazing and it’s incredible what she went through. Reading this book brought me to tears since I too am a survivor from sexual assault.