Angelina Jolieshowed up in D.C. to express her support for the survivors of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.
On Wednesday, September 16, the Maleficent actress posed for a photo alongside some of the US gymnasts who appeared at the Senate hearing for the FBI’s investigation of the Larry Nassar case.
Jolie was pictured alongside Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, Kaylee Lorincz and Jessica Howard. Simon Bileswas also present for the hearing.
Jolie, 46, shared the photos to her Instagram account on Thursday where she told her followers how “honored” she was to meet the survivors.
“I was honored to meet with some of the brave US gymnasts who appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday,” she wrote in the caption. "I’m in awe of their courage and commitment to preventing failures to investigate abuse."
“As Aly Raisman said in her testimony, ‘Over 100 victims could have been spared the abuse. All we needed was one adult to do the right thing.’ Sending support and respect to them, and to all who are reliving this trauma so that system reforms can occur,” Jolie also wrote in her post.
The mom-of-six went on to explain her action-packed week in D.C: “I was on Capitol Hill this week, engaging with Senators on the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and FBI reforms, including better protections for abused children, non-biased forensic evidence collection, trauma care, and judicial training.”
She ended off her post with a handful of hashtags, including “#StopViolenceAgainstWomem.”
Wednesday’s Senate hearing consisted of the former and current US gymnasts who told their stories about Nassar’s abuse, as well as the failures of the investigative process.
As OK! previously reported, Biles spoke directly about the FBI’s mishandling of the case during the hearing.
“We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at FBI, [U.S. Gymnastics] or the [USOC] did what was necessary to protect us. We have been failed and we deserve answers. Nassar is where he belongs, but those who enabled him deserve to be held accountable. If they are not, I am convinced that this will continue to happen to others across Olympic sports,” she said on Wednesday.
“This is the largest case of sexual abuse in the history of American sport. It truly feels like the FBI turned a blind eye to us,” Biles continued. “They had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse and did nothing.”
Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor, was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in 2018.
