In the competitive world of amateur sports, athletes' dedication and discipline often shine the brightest. Yet, behind the veil of elite sports, dark secrets have plagued these institutions where young athletes have been victims of egregious sexual abuse. At the forefront of exposing these atrocities is Jonathan Little, a lawyer who has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of these vulnerable athletes and other vulnerable victims of institutional sexual abuse. His journey began with USA Swimming, a case that would mark the beginning of a significant crusade against sexual abuse in sports.

Jon’s life took a pivotal turn when he learned that his college girlfriend, elite swimmer Brooke Taflinger, had been sexually abused by her high school swim coach. This revelation ignited a fire within Jon, compelling him to relocate to Indianapolis, Indiana, the amateur sports capital of the world, in 2008. His mission: to advocate for athletes who suffered at the hands of their coaches.

Brooke’s case was the first major case against USA Swimming, and it exposed the extent of sexual abuse within the organization, revealing countless victims who had suffered in silence. Jon's relentless pursuit of justice for these victims not only secured them millions of dollars in compensation but also led to the establishment of the United States Olympic Committee's first SafeSport program in 2010. Despite this seemingly positive development, Jon discovered that SafeSport was more of a protective measure for the USOC often at the expense of the athletes it was designed to protect.

Jon’s work against USA Swimming laid the foundation for holding powerful entities accountable, setting a precedent for others to follow. The case against USA Swimming was just the beginning, paving the way for what would become one of the most significant sexual abuse scandals in sports history.

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Exposing Sexual Abuse in USA Gymnastics: The Fight for Accountability

Jon’s fight against institutional abuse did not stop with USA Swimming. Knowing USA Gymnastics, another powerhouse in the world of amateur sports, had a drawer full of sexual abuse complaints against coaches, Jon was relentless in his efforts to bring this to light. Despite his pleas to officials at every level of government in Indianapolis where USA Gymnastics is headquartered (including the US Attorneys, IMPD, and Indianapolis prosecutors), his warnings fell on deaf ears. Because Indianapolis was the amateur sports capital of the world, built on the back of USA Gymnastics, it seemed that economics mattered more than the sexual abuse of children. However, a fortuitous mistake by USA Gymnastics opened the door for a groundbreaking expose.

When USA Gymnastics failed to seal a court document in a case Jon was working on, making the coach complaints public record, Jon's colleague Jessica Wegg saw an opportunity. She contacted a reporter at the Indianapolis Star, urging her to investigate before the mistake was rectified. The IndyStar took the tip and ran with it, uncovering a scandal of epic proportions. Over a thousand pages of court records revealed that more than 50 USA Gymnastics coaches, officials, and employees had molested numerous girls, with the organization routinely dismissing complaints unless they were signed—a policy that enabled predatory coaches to thrive. At the time of publication, USA Gymnastics had been actively investigating, and actively covering up, Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse.

The IndyStar expose emboldened Rachel Denhollander, who contacted the reporters and bravely came forward with her story of abuse by Larry Nassar. Her courage, along with her work with Michigan State University Police, ensured Larry Nassar was finally brought to justice after multiple reports of abuse were dismissed by both the police and USA Gymnastics. Ultimately, more than 265 women came forward, revealing they had been sexually abused by Nassar. As Olympic Gold Medalists began sharing their stories, the magnitude of the problem could no longer be ignored. This led to significant changes in laws at ever level to protect athletes and held top officials accountable.

The Ongoing Battle Against Sexual Abuse

Jon’s work has been instrumental in bringing justice to victims of sexual abuse in sports, but his fight is far from over. USA Swimming and USA Gymnastics just showed how pervasive sexual abuse is in sports, and how far powerful institutions will go to make money, including turning a blind eye to systemic abuse of children. Jon also learned that this kind of abuse is not unique to olympic sports, but is common in many industries that make money off of vulnerable victims. In addition to representing athletes, Jon advocates for all vulnerable victims of institutional abuse, including those harmed by priests, rabbis, teachers, and prison guards. His expertise in handling complex litigation and the emotional toll of sexual abuse cases has made him a formidable advocate for justice.

The efforts of Jonathan Little and his colleagues have sparked a movement toward greater accountability and protection for athletes. While significant progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to combat sexual abuse in elite sports and other institutions. The legacy of Jon's work serves as a reminder in the power of one voice and the impact of the media in exposing and holding those that abuse children accountable.