Thread of support for figure skating assault victims | Golden Skate

Thread of support for figure skating assault victims

GS Forum Staff

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
This is a thread for those who want to express support for figure skaters who have been victims of sexual assault. We understand this is a sensitive issue and want to provide a space that is free of triggers that could potentially occur in traditional discussion.

Please use this space to share your thoughts and/or to provide support. Any negative comments, debates, accusations, speculations, etc, will be removed and the user will be infracted.

USA National Sexual Assault Hotline
1-800-656-4673

Canadian hotlines are on this webpage:
http://www.feminist.org/911/resources_other.html

We will also look for hotlines for other countries, if you know of any please note them in this thread.
 
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Interspectator

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Thank you for sharing your story Ashley. It is a powerful story because it is close to home to so many of us. It's difficult for me to articulate how important it is that this individual story is told, with it's complexity and detail.
I thought, very naively, that of course people would support her and believe her, because her story rang so true to me.
But reading some of the comments here and elsewhere brought home to me again that we are not all in the same place, looking from the same viewpoint when it comes to sexual assault. People questioned her motives, her memory, her morals, the circumstances, in a way that made me so mad.
But that means this story is even more important.

There is rarely a 'perfect victim' there is rarely a 'perfect villain', so I hope this serves to define the lines yet again in people's minds that there is never a circumstance where sexual assault can be tolerated.

Thank you Ashley.
 
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Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
In case you all missed it, Ashley also posted on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0nwCqqJ7R5/
Believe women. In 2008 I was sexually assaulted. I didn’t understand what happened to me or what it really meant. I feel so strongly that people need to talk more about these experiences, that they need to have a bright light turned on the dark corners where they thrive. This happens all too often to both men and women, and we need to do better for our next generation. Talk about this, make this feel real so that we can help out those who need it! Read more about my story in the link in my bio ��

I appreciate Ashley allowing for more light to be shed on this. I hope others feel encouraged to speak up because of this.
 

Lamente Ariane

Skating Skills -5, Fashion +3, Camp +4
Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
As always, so much respect for Ashley. I keep trying to write more and deleting it because my words seem inadequate, but I just hope she's surrounded by love and support in her life now.
 

vesperalvioletta

Medalist
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Country
United-States
Thank you for creating a separate thread, gsk8. I feel nothing but support and admiration for Ashley, and I applaud her for her strength in coming forward. It's been really inspiring to me personally.
 

Scott512

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
I hope Ashley Wagner is in good spirits and happy with the choice she made to go public about being sexually assaulted. A lot of people and particularly young female athletes can learn a lot from it.
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
Those who come forward are braver than I know I could ever be.

Those who are still afraid and alone... I understand, and I wish for them the healing and support they each personally need.
 

solani

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Country
Austria
I also have great respect for Ashley. She's in a position where she can support young skaters and she wouldn't have had to share her story to do that. But she still did. She's strong enough to deal with the criticism now. Others still aren't.
When some ask wether she was violated or not, the answer ist easy. She felt violated, therefore she was violated. Was this a criminal offense? Very difficult, but it was morally wrong in any case.
Things like that have happened to almost every woman I know. Also to myself. That most are able to deal with it doesn't make it right. And I was never in a position, where the person who did it was in a position of power.
A young pairs girl would be in a very very bad position with such a partner...
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I am so glad that Ashley AND other skaters who were assaulted are speaking out. You should be supported - not vilified.
You are helping others see the truth and hopefully preventing others from being assaulted.
Let your voices be heard.
 

TarAncalime

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
This is a thread for those who want to express support for figure skaters who have been victims of sexual assault. We understand this is a sensitive issue and want to provide a space that is free of triggers that could potentially occur in traditional discussion.

Please use this space to share your thoughts and/or to provide support. Any negative comments, debates, accusations, speculations, etc, will be removed and the user will be infracted.

USA National Sexual Assault Hotline
1-800-656-4673

Canadian hotlines are on this webpage:
http://www.feminist.org/911/resources_other.html

We will also look for hotlines for other countries, if you know of any please note them in this thread.

What a cool idea. I have translated an article about Isaak Droysen, who accuses trainer Karel Fajfr of abuse when he was a minor in Oberstdorf. Fajfr has been sentenced 20 years ago for abuse of minors and in 2 cases sexually assaulting them BTW. It is very important to report those cases and seek for networking......Can we get a thread to collect current info?

The DEU (german Skating Federation) still hasnt got a hotline or anything in place although this was a big scandal 20 years ago. There is too much silence and not enough support for the victims and parents/spouses/friends IMO. This has to change.
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
As always, so much respect for Ashley. I keep trying to write more and deleting it because my words seem inadequate, but I just hope she's surrounded by love and support in her life now.

No Worries...There are no words......Its a good idea to keep this thread clean of all those preditors in our society who take advantage of girls. Its about those poor skaters who were assaulted by mostly older men. Like Mrs. P, I hope others come forward and speak up. And mostly I hope we as a society do a better job of raising our kids and protecting them from the preditors who live amoungst us. :palmf:
 

luckyguy

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
What a cool idea. I have translated an article about Isaak Droysen, who accuses trainer Karel Fajfr of abuse when he was a minor in Oberstdorf. Fajfr has been sentenced 20 years ago for the same deeds BTW. It is very important to report those cases and seek for networking......Can we get a thread to collect current info?

The DEU (german Skating Federation) still hasnt got a hotline or anything in place although this was a big scandal 20 years ago. There is too much silence and not enough support for the victims and parents/spouses/friends IMO. This has to change.

To be correct: Droysen has not been a victim of sexual assault. He claims he was physically and emotionally abused by Fajfr.

"He hit me on my legs and arms, slapped me and forced me, among other things, to complete four competitive programs in one non-break training session, knowing that no skater could do it physically and that regularly led to serious falls and injuries. After that, he yelled at me in front of others with malicious remarks. "
https://taz.de/Gewalt-beim-Eiskunst-Training/!5610941/
 

TarAncalime

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
To be correct: Droysen has not been a victim of sexual assault. He claims he was physically and emotionally abused by Fajfr.

"He hit me on my legs and arms, slapped me and forced me, among other things, to complete four competitive programs in one non-break training session, knowing that no skater could do it physically and that regularly led to serious falls and injuries. After that, he yelled at me in front of others with malicious remarks. "
https://taz.de/Gewalt-beim-Eiskunst-Training/!5610941/

I know, but the borders are often blurry concerning abuse against minors. There is a second article now in the Main-Post that reports police taking up a possible case now and talking to both Droysen, Fajfr and the DEU.

Screaming, yelling parents abusing kids (slapping them) around the rink and hotel while there is a summer camp going on with coaches seeing that, are also a problem. Such parents should at least be talked to and made to be reasonable. IMO their kids have such a hard and demanding training all day, the last thing a young, competitive skater who trains hard and is dedicated to their sport needs are yelling and slapping parents like that.

It is a wide field indeed.
 

CellarDweller

Ice Time
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Country
United-States
Thank you for starting this thread. Sexual abuse is often swept under the rug, and those who have survived it are urged to keep quiet about it.

We should support all those who have suffered under this type of abuse, and applaud those who have decided to come forward to alleviate their own grief, and as a show of support to others who have not yet decided to come forward.
 
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