“There are so many people who are in unsafe environments” - Aly Raisman raises her voice against sexual assault and abuse

Aly Raisman is one of America's most successful gymnasts and has been a staunch advocate for survivors of abuse, often using her platform to raise awareness about such issues. Recently, the former Olympic champion shared an incident that occurred while she was at the doctor's office and urged people to do better.

As a gymnast, Raisman shot to fame in 2012, when she won two golds and a bronze at the London Olympics. She followed it up with a gold and two silvers at the 2016 Rio Games. A year later, the gymnast came forward as one of the victims of sexual abuse by Olympic team physician Larry Nassar and has since then been vocal about the issues of abuse and providing support for survivors.

In a recent video on Instagram, Aly Raisman explained that during a visit to the doctor's office, she was asked whether she felt safe at home without much importance being given to the question. She started the story by saying:

“I went to the doctor's office last week and while I was waiting for the doctor to come in, there was someone in the room who was going through the normal checklist, their back was facing me. They were staring at a computer screen, going through my date of birth, what my weight is, my height, going through my medication list. Then, without taking their eyes off the screen, back still faced to me, they asked me ‘do you feel safe at home?’”

She went on to explain that the question felt very obligatory, and should have been treated with more care, adding:

“When I get to my doctor's appointment, more often than not that question is, that very important question, is asked, it feels like it's just ‘what’s your date of birth’, just running through the checklist. That question for some people is life or death, and that's not me being dramatic, it's the truth.”

Aly Raisman ended the video by explaining the survivors of abuse are often isolated, and a place like a doctor's office could be their only chance to vocalize their concerns safely.

“There are so many people who are in unsafe environments and they don't have anybody that they can confide in and that they can go to. And the reality for many people is that that doctor's office might be the only place that that survivor may feel comfortable going to and asking for help. And when I was sitting there, staring at this person’s back, I was just thinking about all the people out there who are suffering in silence,” she concluded.

Aly Raisman writes a children's book to teach kids about consent and body autonomy

Since coming forward with her own experiences as a survivor of sexual abuse, Aly Raisman has consistently used her platform to raise awareness about such issues. Most recently, the three-time Olympic champion authored her first children's book, titled ‘From My Head to My Toes’, with the book geared towards teaching young kids the concepts of consent and body autonomy.

Aly Raisman partnered with advocacy organizations like Darkness to Light and Monique Burr Foundation to write the book, with the text aimed to reach children aged between 4 to 8. The book encourages young kids to use their voices and helps teach them some of the warning signs of abuse. From My Head to My Toes was released on April 4, and has received positive reviews for the way it handles difficult topics.