Equality Now and Athlete A Host Town Hall to Discuss Sexual Abuse in Sports

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Equality Now and the acclaimed documentary film Athlete A have partnered together for 16 Days of Activism to host a Town Hall event to address the problem of sexual abuse in sports. Featuring the creators and subjects of Athlete A together with leading United Nations gender expert Dubravka Šimonović, the dialogue will address the case of Dr. Larry Nassar, the prevalence of sexual abuse of girls and adolescents in elite sport, and steps that can be taken to achieve progress on the issue.

Panelists include Athlete A Co- Director Bonni Cohen; United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Dubravka Šimonović; Athlete A subject and the first woman to pursue criminal charges against Dr. Larry Nassar, Rachael Denhollander; and Athlete A co-producer, author, and former USA Gymnastic national team member Jennifer Sey.

Equality Now, an international organization advocating for the rights of women and girls, collaborated with Athlete A to draw attention to often under-reported issue of sexual abuse of minors.

"Athlete A is a significant contribution to the global women's rights movement, integrating the experience of adolescent girls into the larger societal reckoning around systemic sexual abuse." Said Yasmeen Hassan, Global Executive Director of Equality Now and moderator of the Town Hall. "The documentary also shines a spotlight on the complicity of individuals and institutions who both directly and indirectly grant impunity to powerful and well-connected individuals. While Larry Nassar committed the actual acts of sexual violence, the film highlights the larger enabling environment that allowed Nassar to become a serial predator. "

The event will be hosted on Zoom and is open to the media by registration here.

ABOUT EQUALITY NOW

Equality Now is an international non-governmental, human rights organization that was founded in 1992 to advance the rights of women and girls across the world. The organization holds governments responsible for ending legal inequality, sex trafficking, sexual violence and harmful practices, such as Female Genital Mutilation and "child marriage." Equality Now champions for legal and systemic change by setting important legal precedents and exposing barriers that hinder access to justice.

ABOUT ATHLETE A

Athlete A follows a team of reporters from The Indianapolis Star as they investigate claims of abuse at USA Gymnastics, one of the nation's most prominent Olympic organizations. Two years later, an Olympic doctor is behind bars, the US Congress is demanding answers and hundreds of survivors are speaking out. Equal parts devastating and inspiring, the film reveals the culture of cruelty that was allowed to thrive within elite-level gymnastics, the attorney fighting the institutions, and most importantly, the brave athletes who refuse to be silenced, fought the system and triumphed.

CONTACT: Emma Stoskopf-Ehrlich, Communications Officer, Equality Now, [email protected], 617-308-0251

SOURCE Equality Now