Sexual Assault Survivor, Amanda Thomashow, to Receive Paul H. Chapman Award

Sinas Dramis partner and Michigan sexual assault attorney, Jim Graves, has represented numerous Sister Survivors of the disgraced MSU sports doctor, Larry Nassar, since 2016. He recently had the privilege of nominating his client, Amanda Thomashow, for the Foundation for Improvement of Justice, Inc. award.

Mr. Graves, along with the rest of the Sinas Dramis attorneys and staff, wish to congratulate Ms. Thomashow as the recipient of this year’s Paul H. Chapman Award. She will be honored and receive the award on Saturday, September 29, 2018, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta. Ms. Thomashow is recognized in particular for the bravery and perseverance she portrayed as a sexual assault survivor of Larry Nassar, as well as her continued dedication to other victims and advocacy efforts.

Little did she know, Ms. Thomashow was not alone. Nassar had been sexually assaulting hundreds of patients under the guise of treatment for years. In 2017, a federal lawsuit was filed, resulting in a historic settlement, and earlier this year, Larry Nassar was tried and convicted.

Following her powerful victim impact statement at the January, 2018 sentencing, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said,

“You are a survivor. Your scars are healing. Your voice is no longer silent. I have heard it, the world has heard it. You are not alone. You not only have the other survivors but you have a world who is in support of all of you. This cannot happen. You are ensuring that others will not be violated. Not just by this defendant but by other predators. Things are going to change. You’ve been heard.”

Since then, Amanda has made it her mission to lift up other victims of abuse. Through her efforts and those of fellow Sister Survivors, societal changes and institutional shifts are happening across the country. Ms. Thomashow is well-deserving of this recognition and we wish to thank her for her bravery, activism, and determination.