Ashley Wagner reveals she was assaulted by John Coughlin

[UGG]

You asked how Coughlin was any different from Nassar. Insofar as he molested at least girl (Ashley Wagner, then aged 17) while she was asleep, Coughlin was different from -- and worse than -- Nassar.

Umm news flash..there are going to be more victims that come out. And not only that, fingering a child while she is sleeping is the same to me as fingering 600 children when they are awake.,

 

[UGG]

Asleep means no possible consent. IMHO, it's tantamount to rape.

Ok so the girls who were abused by Nassar were awake as they all thought they were getting “treatments” so again...not following.

 

[maatTheViking]

I’m not really sure how he is much different from Nassar. Ashley’s account of what happened is basically describing that he was fingering her. Like..WTH does everyone think “he knew his way around a female body” mean? He wasn’t friggin rubbing her boob like a 7th grader. Jesus.

I was more thinking in terms of the relative power level within their organizations at the time of the incidents than the details of the molestations.

Note that it wasn’t in anyway meant as any sort of excuse for Coughlin. More a question about what we don’t know.

Bulanhagui coming forward answers some of this; Coughlin’s friend and another coach?

It’s appaling

 

[overedge]

Oh Dear.... wonder if Ash has encouraged others. Maybe.

If there are more victims out there, I hope every one of them feels brave enough to come forward. Maybe then USFS will do something about the "culture of abuse" that allowed all of this to go on for so long.

 

[just tuned in]

Ok so the girls who were abused by Nassar were awake as they all thought they were getting “treatments” so again...not following.

There was that time that McKayla Maroney was asleep in a hotel room, drugged by Nassar, when he molested her.

 

[UGG]

I was more thinking in terms of the relative power level within their organizations at the time of the incidents than the details of the molestations.

Note that it wasn’t in anyway meant as any sort of excuse for Coughlin. More a question about what we don’t know.

Bulanhagui coming forward answers some of this; Coughlin’s friend and another coach?

It’s appaling

He was “kind of a big deal” in 2008 though wasn’t he? I mean Ashley was a nobody then. I see what u mean, but I do think the extreme power imbalance was there- no one would have given her a second thought in 2008, yet in 2019 everyone is paying attention because as it turned out, she became the more recognized of the two. Look at poor Bridget she was completely dumped on with no official statements from anyone.

 

[jenniferlyon]

What part of SHE WAS ASLEEP AND COULD NOT CONSENT failed to penetrate your thick, revolting skull?

Also, the whole "at least Coughlin stopped when Ashley said no" excuse doesn't hold water with me. Does anyone honestly believe he would have stopped if Ashley had been too intoxicated to say no?

 

[maatTheViking]

Removed

 

[mollymgr]

I don't think this is should be a rating contest to determine who was the worst. Both were equally despicable for ruining women's lives. Those scars will stay with the victims forever. What they did was horrible. Just imagine if you were in that situation whether it be Nassar, John or any other person who was touching you inappropriately without your consent. Something that you really have no control over. How would that make you feel? Would you care to rate them then? It also shouldn't matter who the victim is. We know today that Ashley was one but those who are not named and those who may not be as famous as Ashley are still victims. They all need love and support.

 

[Vagabond]

Ok so the girls who were abused by Nassar were awake as they all thought they were getting “treatments” so again...not following.

Spoiler: Links for those who just don't get it. If you might find this content disturbing, please don't click here or on the links.

Somnophilia
Somnophilia
Doze Were the Days

 

[maatTheViking]

He was “kind of a big deal” in 2008 though wasn’t he? I mean Ashley was a nobody then. I see what u mean, but I do think the extreme power imbalance was there- no one would have given her a second thought in 2008, yet in 2019 everyone is paying attention because as it turned out, she became the more recognized of the two. Look at poor Bridget she was completely dumped on with no official statements from anyone.

True enough.

 

[canbelto]

The similarity in both cases is that both were able to maintain a facade of "nice guy" which trapped the victims into staying silent bc they would not be believed. The pattern with these molesters is depressingly familiar. Nice inoffensive public persona, grooming adults around them to think they're swell guys, and pursuing victims in plain sight.

 

[CaliSteve]

Wow. This was one hell of a thread to wake up to this morning.

Poor Ashley. I hope she's getting the support she needs. It really makes me wonder how many others there are, whether seeing Ashley speak up will help others feel supported to speak up as well. I hope so. I have a feeling this is not the end of this.

It is interesting that the usual disgusting behavior of @AxelAnnie called Ashley a coward. There is a coward here, but it's not Ashley. It's the man who, upon realising that all of his behaviour was about to come to light, chose to flee in the most traumatic way possible to avoid facing the consequences of his actions.

And I sincerely hope that Sappenfield has been removed from her coaching post at the World Arena and will be subject to an investigation as well. The thought of those red hats makes my stomach churn - and I bet the team whose logo was on those hats isn't best pleased, either.

Some people will never get it until it happens to themselves.

 

[canbelto]

Hmm ... one difference ... Marta Karolyi at least had the decency to express regret and remorse that Nassar’s abuse happened at the ranch. Dalilah Sappenfeld otoh ...

 

[CaliSteve]

TSL showed a post from Melissa Bulanhagui aka JadaKai about her experience with JC

https://twitter.com/SkatingLesson/status/1157096039993794561

 

[puglover]

There is "evil in trying to get it" if it involves touching someone in a sexual way that has not consented. Even very small children understand the meaning of the words "private parts". This is just becoming so asinine.

 

[Lanie]

It should be fcuking common sense that there was no element of consent here with any of these women who have been coming out to talk about their experiences in being sexually violated, and the culture that protects the perpetrators because USFS has no goddamn conscience. This had nothing to do with sex being fun or both parties wanting each other, this has to do with assault. Jesus Christ. Even if Ashley were drunk at said party and not asleep, so what, it was still assault!

 

[rfisher]

Just like in the Nassar and Cosby cases, once the tipping point has been reached, there will be a flood and people who wanted this to go away will be exposed. I'm willing to bet there are some frantic phone calls to lawyers for advice as soon as word about this article was leaked.

 

[VGThuy]

There's some twisted version of sex positivity and women embracing their sexuality and sexual autonomy that is being spewed in this thread, well just by one person, especially when it's involving a woman who was a minor at the time of the incident.

 

[moebius]

Innocent people would not commit suicide if accused of guilt b/c they know they didn't do anything wrong. So, boo to John who said that he never had to chance to defend himself. Can't he just be a man and admit it?

 

[Prancer]

Innocent people would not commit suicide if accused of guilt b/c they know they didn't do anything wrong.

Yes. Yes, innocent people do commit suicide when they have been accused of committing crimes or feel their reputation has been attacked. Suicide is a complex issue.

This has been discussed at length in previous threads. Do we need to do it again?

 

[Tesla]

Being fondled without consent is never "romantic" or welcome or something that bugs you. It is always traumatizing. Always. Even when the memory is locked in a box, when that box springs open, it is always f*cking traumatizing. Always. Ashley’s strength is phenomenal. She is (should be) an inspiration to everyone.

 

[VGThuy]

Innocent people would not commit suicide if accused of guilt b/c they know they didn't do anything wrong. So, boo to John who said that he never had to chance to defend himself. Can't he just be a man and admit it?

According to some of the skaters who have come out with their stories of his behavior, he obviously wasn't man enough to do a lot of things like date women closer to his own age or at least not groom young, inexperienced vulnerable girls to groom so he could better exploit them and silence them.

 

[Colonel Green]

TSL showed a post from Melissa Bulanhagui aka JadaKai about her experience with JC

https://twitter.com/SkatingLesson/status/1157096039993794561

Okay, this story especially feels like it warrants a broader investigation of the whole training environment, if his behaviour was that widespread and blatant.

 

[canbelto]

You know what makes me sick in retrospect? The death threats TSL and Christine Brennan were getting when they first reported this story. Looking back they probably knew way more than they reported bc it’s clear we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg here.

 

[mollymgr]

The USFS was probably not expecting this. They have been busy posting cutesy stuff on twitter for the past few days. They haven't tweeted anything today.

 

[Colonel Green]

The USFS was probably not expecting this. They have been busy posting cutesy stuff on twitter for the past few days. They haven't tweeted anything today.

I can't imagine they were unaware this was coming. Brennan and USA Today, at a minimum, would surely have been in contact with them requesting statements, etc.

 

[once_upon]

Okay, this story especially feels like it warrants a broader investigation of the whole training environment, if his behaviour was that widespread and blatant.

At one Nationals I was at, I overheard 2 moms talking about who they would not let their daughters be alone with (in this case it was not Coughlin). The skating club their children were with was CO Springs. At the time I thought it was just gossiping but left an impression with me that someone should do something, that the moms should talk to coaches or something.

There is no way that Sappenfield does not know what happens - no way. Her behavior with the KC Chiefs hats was horrendous.

 

[coppertop1]

So, now we have another person come forward, and more attacks. Yet people still wonder why victims don't come forward? If that's your response, look in the mirror. I think Ashley and any victims who speak up a are very brave. If your response is to criticize them, congratulations on being part of the problem.

This whole situation keeps getting worse.

 

[canbelto]

Ok this is apropos of nothing but since I have been following the feeds of some figure skaters today ... cannot help but notice how many young, pretty female figure skaters favor a no makeup/track pants look off the ice. In fact there are a few I need to do a double take to see if it’s really them. I cannot help but wonder if so many of them favor this look off the ice bc they associate the dolled up competition look with something traumatic/uncomfortable. I have worked with enough survivors of sexual abuse to know this is a common reaction. De-sexualize yourself. Dress baggy, with no makeup. Don’t look pretty.

Not going to name names but since I was looking at many feeds today it was really striking.