Olympian And Sex-Abuse Survivor Brings Message To Chicago
(CBS) -- She was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in Judo. She's also a sexual abuse survivor.
"I was sexually abused by my coach for years," says Kayla Harrison, gold medalist at the 2012 Olympics.
The 24-year-old came forward when she was 16. She testified against her abuser, and he's now serving time.
Today, she brings her message of recovery to young girls and young athletes and their parents.
Judo Gold Medalist Talks About Surviving Abuse
"The athlete-coach relationship is a very special and delicate relationship and shouldn't be taken lightly. It's an area where predators can thrive," Harrison says.
She adds: "You wouldn't just give your car to a stranger and say, 'Here, take it for a ride,' so why would we drop our kids off and say, 'Here, make them the next Tiger Woods, make them the next Gabby Douglas.' We have to be careful."
Harrison's Fearless Foundation shines the light on sexual abuse. She's writing a book she hopes to put in every classroom in the future. The athlete plans on explaining how predators can "groom" minors and how to get help.
"There is all this education on stranger danger, bullying and safe sex and say no to drugs, but there isn't any educational material what you should do if someone who's close to you tries to take advantage of you," Harrison says.
She was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and in the New York Times, USA Today, Time Magazine, CNN and other media outlets. She was also named one of Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year for 2012.
Harrison plans to maintain her dominance on the mat by remaining a competitive Judo player with sights on defending her Gold Medal in Rio in 2016.
She is taking part in a Barrington Judo competition clinic this weekend.
