Athletic programs in institutions such as Penn State, Syracuse, and the Amateur Athletic Union have been under fire in recent news due to cover ups, scandals, and allegations of sexual abuse against persons of power in all three athletic programs.

As lies of the past unravel in the spotlight of the media and perpetrators face charges, the rest of the world watches in anticipation of what happens next. Though a very real situation, the national media storm sensationalizes each to a story-like level of infamy, often neglecting the lasting effects sexual harassment and abuse have on a child.

But what happens when this unimaginable situation hits home, leaving the fallout on your front door?

For one South Lakes student who wished to remain anonymous, this unconceivable nightmare became her reality.

After achieving her top goal to make one of school’s sports teams, she was excited to begin the season with her teammates and seemingly normal coach. She never dreamed events beginning that season would spark a downward spiral not only for her mental and physical health, but would blur the boundaries of a relationship based on trust.

The harassment with text messages unrelated to the team. She thought the coach was just trying to get to know her as a player. However, after sports related injuries, the text messages began to hold a different and more suggestive connotation.

“The injuries only made the harassment worse. My shoulder was still giving me trouble, and when he would ask about it, I would tell him it was still painful. He would send inappropriate texts explaining what he could do to fix it, constantly checking in on me, offering to carry me, insisting that he could tape my shoulder and help ice my leg better than the trainer could and that he would just do it before games.

“He was my coach. I thought I could trust him.”

In an attempt to reach out, the student asked friends on the team if they had noticed anything about him. Other members admitted to getting “the creeps” from him, but not the questionable behavior she was subjected to. The student gathered courage to mention it to her brother, who in turn told their mom.

“She didn’t believe me. If my own mother wouldn’t believe me, how was I supposed to think a random adult would believe me either?”

The student opted to ignore the inappropriate behavior, hoping that the close of the season would bring an end to the constant harassment from the coach, who was not a member of South Lakes’ faculty.

However the intensity of the harassment developed before the season was over.

“He confessed that he had feelings for me and in detail informed me what he wanted to do with me. I was disgusted. “

Continuing throughout the summer, the student dodged numerous texts, calls, and emails. All were invitations to meet somewhere, even on occasion to his house, and work on skills “one on one.”

The student denied all invitations to meet.

As the winter season approached, so did the student’s coach with a request to play in a seasonal league.

“I agreed, worried that if I didn’t do it he would cut me from the team come spring, even though this winter league was in no way affiliated with the school. He would offer to drive me to and from games. I was made captain before the season started. This is when the abuse started on top of the harassment.”

Typical among abuse victims, the student’s health and performance in school began to suffer as a result of the torment, now a year long ordeal she had kept a secret.

“It started to weigh me down and my teachers began to notice the shift in my mood. My grades dropped, my weight dropped, I lost interest in everything. I had tried to ignore his behavior in the beginning, said no throughout the entire situation, but realized that I couldn’t fix this by myself. Eventually I broke down.”

Help came from a trusted teacher after the student burst into tears during class one day. Following procedure and going through the proper steps, the student repeated her story to multiple levels of authority, leading to the coach’s termination from working and coaching anywhere in Fairfax County.

Despite the coach’s dismissal, the student still felt his presence attached to activities she once loved.

“I eventually quit playing. I would just rather let the sport be a part of my past then fighting to relive those horrors again. A coach is someone you should be able to trust, someone to guide you through and help you out when you need it. I should have been able to trust him and never worry about this.”

According to Child Abuse Research and Statistics, 95% of sexual abuse victims know their offender.

“At times I felt uncomfortable because he would say certain things in the moment that wouldn’t seem that bad, but now after everything that came out, it all made sense,” said a teammate of the student, who also wished to remain anonymous.

“I didn’t think he’d be like that. I just couldn’t imagine someone I know could ever be like that.”

Still haunted by memories and possible ‘what if’s’ of her situation, the student hopes to encourage victims to come forth and share their stories.

“I was worried that people would gossip about me, that the authorities wouldn’t believe me, and that my boyfriend would be disgusted by me. None of this is true,” said the student. “Tell someone before it gets worse. If you are too embarrassed to talk to an adult about it, tell a friend who you know will go and tell someone about it. It is not okay for someone to be taking advantage of you, no matter what.

“I encourage anyone out there who is suffering to speak up and take control of your life again.”