Senate Committee Focuses on Protecting Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse

On March 28, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing, “Protecting Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse.” The hearing focused on the handling of allegations of child sexual abuse within the USA Gymnastics program and examined what can be done further to ensure that children involved in athletic programs are safe from sexual assault.

The hearing also discussed S.534, the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act of 2017, which would “require prompt reporting of sexual abuse to law enforcement authorities.”

The following witnesses testified:

• Jamie Dantzscher, 2000 Olympic bronze medalist;
• Rick Adams, chief, Paralympic Sport and National Governing Body Organizational Development, United States Olympic Committee;
• Jessica Howard, three-time national champion gymnast;
• Eric Olsen, commonwealth’s attorney, Stafford County, VA; and
• Dominique Moceanu, 1996 Olympic gold medalist and author.