The first known survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of prolific pedophile Larry Nassar is advocating for sex awareness education in children from when they are in kindergarten.
Sarah Klein first encountered Nassar when she was 8 at gymnastics class in Michigan, before he went on to become Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics team doctor — and abuse hundreds more girls.
Klein and others in her class were so young, they didn’t understand what was happening and the abuse they were subjected to under the guise of “medical examinations” by Nassar.
But if she had been given education on bodily autonomy and consent, “it could’ve potentially stopped one of the biggest pedophiles in history,” she told The Post.
“Had I, as one little 8-year-old, had that information, would 500 more people have had to be hurt?”
After a long career working with gymnasts and athletes, Nassar was charged in 2016 with assaulting at least 265 girls and young women, claiming he was giving them medical treatment. In 2018, he was sentenced to between 40 and 175 years for his crimes.
Klein has become a top sexual abuse lawyer, focusing on fighting for justice for younger people. As part of this work, she has recently become committee chair atDayOne, the only organization in New York City solely dedicated to preventing dating abuse for those age 24 and under.
Dating abuse is a form of “intimate partner violence” characterized by patterns of controlling or violent behavior where one person attempts to control or harm their partner through force and intimidation.
Because the abuser is also the person’s partner, it is often harder for people to recognize what they are going through as abuse and act upon it.
The problem has also increased with social media. Young people can be subjected to methods of coercion and surveillance by their partners and need to be properly instructed in social media literacy, according to executive director of DayOne Anne Patterson.
One in three teens nationally experience some form of abuse in their romantic relationships, according to DayOne.