Sex abuse allegations spread against cheerleading industry

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JAMES POLLARD

Sprawling allegations of abuse against cheerleaders reached Tennessee on Monday in a case that escalates the accusations facing some of the sport’s top institutions.

An adult coach sexually assaulted teenage boys at Premier Athletics, according to allegations in a federal lawsuit filed in Memphis that is similar to a previous complaint against Rockstar Cheer in South Carolina.

In both cases, attorneys say leaders at Varsity Spirit, which runs competitions, and the U.S. All Star Federation, the country’s cheerleading governing body, failed to provide a safe environment for athletes.

The lawsuit, brought anonymously by two teenage boys and one boy’s mother, alleges that a Premier Athletics coach sent nude pictures and masturbation videos and instigated nonconsensual sexual acts.



Attorney Alexandra Benevento, center, speaks with reporters during a news conference announcing a cheerleader abuse lawsuit filed in Tennessee on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/sports-lawsuits-tennessee-cheerleading-65750931a3804bb1495a7c04aec05dc2

[speak easy]

1. I Hate. Those. Horrible. Ppl.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. I suspect the casting couch is used in a lot of professions

[Moosepoop]

4. Casting couches, offensive as they may be, are for adults.

There is no such thing as a casting couch for a child (or any person unable to give consent).

Sexual conduct between an adult and a child is illegal, and wrong.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. My guess is that this kinda thing happens way more with straight male coaches in TN

But hey, a chance to make gay men look like horrible predators, so ...

What I mean is, this suit sounds kinda shady, as does AP's framing of the story.

Emphasis Mine:

Sprawling allegations of abuse against cheerleaders

So, one guy and two teens is a 'sprawling' situation? Okay AP

instigated nonconsensual sexual acts

What exactly does that mean? Did he rape a teen, or did he text him a dick pic? Pretty wildly different scenarios in terms of actual harm.

The coach has not been charged, and The Associated Press is not naming him. Varsity and USASF did not immediately respond to email requests seeking comment.

In the statement, Premier Athletics said it heard June 26 from an athlete who reported receiving inappropriate photos from the coach. According to the statement, Premier suspended the coach and immediately made a report to local law enforcement and USASF, neither of whom substantiated the complaint. Premier fired the coach, according to the statement.

Then there's also AP calling it a 'a federal lawsuit'. Doesn't sound like it's being brought by the Feds, correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm just saying ... I don't know about this AP story, or this suit.

I'll reserve judgment til I hear a bit more.

[Moosepoop]

5. Here's a link to the lawsuit itself.

https://www.scribd.com/document/597066131/Varsity-Spirit-Tennessee-Complaint-FILED#from_embed

It's very long, but lots of info in it.

It IS a federal lawsuit, filed in one of the three US District Courts in Tennessee.

It's filed on behalf of John Does 1 & 2, AND John and Jane Does 1-100. There is anticipation that other victims, male and female, will be coming forward to join the suit.

The lawsuit does reference abuse of girls, such as --

117. One such suspension was from an incident that occurred at a Premier location in Franklin Tennessee, in January, 2021, where a hidden camera was found inside of a girls’ restroom and changing area. Authorities noted that the camera was linked to a Premier employee, who was charged after law enforcement discovered images of 55 child athletes changing clothes.

118. Defendant USASF listed the suspension as temporary.

Did the one defendant send a dick pic, or rape a teen? Both (and multiple teens), according to the lawsuit.

The AP is correct in calling the allegations "sprawling." There are a dozen defendants (individuals and corporations), and the allegations are:

(1) in violation of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, 18 U.S.C. §2255; (2) constituting a civil conspiracy in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act, Title IX of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, 18 U.S.C. §1962(c) and (d); (3) giving rise to common law claims of gross negligence, negligent supervision, and assault/battery; and (4) constituting violations of contractual and/or equitable responsibilities owed to Plaintiffs.

That's the nutshell version, the allegations are fleshed out in the 71-page suit. I read the whole thing. I recommend it for anyone curious about the situation.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

6. Thanks for the info

I doubt I'll read 71 pages, so thanks for the synopsis.

Interesting, don't you think, that the AP article references nothing about the cameras in the girls room, only about a man and some boys?

Couple questions though since you've read it all ...
1) Is the person who set the camera in the girls changing area perhaps the same one who sent the dick pics to boys? Does it say? In other words, is there possibly actually just one offender?
2) Do we know if the images of girls changing were spread around, like on the internet, or worse, sold? Were the images found on one person's computer, or could it have possibly been just a really stupid surveillance policy of monitoring the changing areas by the company?
3) You said someone was raped, per this lawsuit. What did you mean by that?

When I think of 'sprawling' I think ... The Catholic Church. Many, many victims, many, many perps, literal rapes, and a clear conspiracy to protect the offenders.

From what you said above, this could still be one sex offender doing some awful things.

Understand I'm all for protecting these minors, I'm just really down on AP lately. My issue is with their reporting. Even with what you told me, I still think it's kinda shit in this case.

[Moosepoop]

12. You're welcome.

I understand your issues with the AP, and share some of them. In this instance, though, they are reporting on a specific lawsuit, which was brought on behalf of two specific victims (plus any future ones who may join the suit). So the reporting centers primarily on the allegations made by these specific victims, plus the allegation that sexual abuse of minors in the cheer/tumbling circuit is rampant, known, allowed and covered up nationally by the corporations involved. Hence the use of the term "sprawling."

The suit references other publically known cases, involving both female and male victims.

To your questions:

1) No, that was a completely different person.

2) It was a Go-Pro camera belonging to a coach. He has been prosecuted. There were no charges of disseminating the videos he took, so I'm assuming they were for his own personal use. The point being made in the current lawsuit is that even with this coach's illegal and perverted actions, his "suspension" from coaching is only "temporary."

3) I mean raped. I'm not going to spell out the details here. They are available in the link I provided.

It is not one offender doing awful things. It's a lot of people doing awful things, with the knowledge and inside protection of a large organization, much like the Catholic Church.

[IronLionZion]

8. They reference a lawsuit with girls in South Carolina

so that's at least 2 lawsuits in 2 states in one month.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Calling Gym Jordan

If you want Gym Jordan to shut up, tell him some teen age boys are being molested.

[Ziggysmom]

9. I've always felt cheerleading is outdated and sexist. You don't see it in Europe. It's not

necessary, but if sports decides it needs them, let's have the squads made up as 50/50 male and female cheerleaders.

[czarjak]

10. Cottage industry ripe for untoward activity. Japan basically has pom-squads at baseball games.

[thucythucy]

11. Is anyone else struck by the weirdness of the term "cheerleading industry?" nt