LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new Netflix documentary "Athlete A" is named for the then-anonymous gymnast whose complaint helped expose decades of abuse by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Many have heard the stories of the Olympians impacted, but some might not realize the first woman to publicly speak out against him lives right here in Kentucky.

Louisville resident Rachael Denhollander first met Nassar in Michigan in the early 2000s. 

"It was just shortly after my 15th birthday and he sexually assaulted me under the guise of a medical exam for almost two years. When I started to realize something was off, that he crossed a line, that it was abuse, what I realized at that point was he had been clearly doing this for years and nobody was stopping him. It's not because nobody is speaking up. It's because whoever is speaking up has been systemically silenced," Denhollander said.

She opens up about that story in the new Netflix documentary. The film details how years after her experience with Nassar, the Indianapolis Star uncovered that USA Gymnastics failed to turn over sexual abuse allegations against a coach over to authorities. 

While that article was not about Nassar, Denhollander immediately thought of him when she read the piece. She recalls thinking that maybe after all these years, someone would listen if she came forward. She decided to give the newspaper a call. She was not the only one to call with a tip about Nassar, but she was the only person willing to go on record about it without anonymity.

"For a long time, it was just me speaking up with a name and face. Then an Olympic athlete who was a Jane Doe at the time," Denhollander said. "The few of us that spoke up, particularly being identified, what we got in return was you must have wanted it. You must have enjoyed it."

Despite that backlash, Denhollander continued speaking up and working with detectives, prosecutors, and reporters until Nassar's fateful days in court. Nassar is set to spend the rest of his life in prison on sexual assault and child pornography convictions. 

Denhollander was the first to go on record about Nassar's abuse. Now, around 500 survivors have come forward including nine Olympians. All of them were left asking what took so long? Why didn't somebody stop him sooner?

Denhollander said "Athlete A" did a great job showing the difference when good detectives and prosecutors get involved. She said that should not just be the case in this high-profile situation. She continues to advocate for sexual abuse victims. Although she lives in Lousiville, she speaks at conferences, events, and universities all across the country. She takes part in legislative reform on the topic. She even published a book called "What Is a Girl Worth?" That memoir dives into her story, including all the behind-the-scenes work it takes to bring a perpetrator down.

She said every time she opens up about this, it is emotionally draining. However, she is happy that it brings about the much-needed conversation.

"Athlete A is an incredibly powerful film, so it is easy to have that emotional response of how could this happen and be so angry about the abuse, but we need to translate that emotion into action," Denhollander said.

She also knows how important her message can be for the others going through the same thing. She said survivors of sexual abuse often carry a lot of guilt. Her message to them is there is nothing to be ashamed of and you are not alone.

Child advocacy experts say 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. 

"We are dealing with an epidemic of sexual assault and we need to act like it is that important," Denhollander said.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services has a 24-hour hotline you can call to report child abuse. That number is 1-877-597-2331.