How One Judge Became the Therapist 150 Survivors Never Had

Survivors of sexual assault are often asked, “Why didn’t you speak up sooner?”
But the better question is: What happens when they do?

All too often, they’re met with disbelief, character assassination, and retraumatization. They’re forced to relive their trauma in brutal detail, only to be told—explicitly or implicitly—that they’re exaggerating, complicit, or simply not credible.

In 2018, that changed—at least for one moment. And that moment happened in Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s courtroom.

During the sentencing hearing for Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused over 150 girls and young women under the guise of medical treatment, Judge Aquilina did something radical: She gave each survivor space to speak. She didn’t just allow their voices—she amplified them. And in doing so, she provided something the system rarely offers: validation.

In this week’s episode of We Need To Talk, I sit down with Judge Aquilina to talk about trauma, justice, and the healing power of being heard. We explore why so many institutions failed to protect Nassar’s victims, how the legal system can become a source of harm, and what it meant for these women to finally be believed.

⚠️ Content warning: This conversation includes explicit discussion of sexual abuse and the crimes committed by Larry Nassar. Please listen with care.

We also talk about what it means to center survivors—not in soundbites or press conferences, but in real systems. In courtrooms. In communities. In practice.

Because when we listen to survivors, we don’t just honor their pain—we give them power.

🎧 Listen now to How One Judge Became the Therapist 150 Survivors Never Had.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, visit RAINN.org or call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).