FITSNews director of research Jennifer Wood sits with cheer abuse survivor Victoria.  Hear her reflect on the abuse she suffered, how it's changed her life, and why she decided to come forward with her story. This episode marks the end of season one of the Cheer Incorporated podcast, which will return following FITSNews' coverage of Alex Murdaugh's murder trial.  We have more great interviews and episodes in production and look forward to season two.  Thank you for your support.  EP1:...

The Cheer Incorporated scandal landed on the west coast following the filing of a federal lawsuit in the central district of California – the latest formal allegations tied to the culture of sex abuse within the American cheerleading industry. This episode of Cheer Incorporated breaks the latest allegations down - and delves into the inner working of cheer industry governing bodies which have been alleged to have failed to prevent the abuse of minor athletes in a growing number of states....

The Cheer Incorporated team traveled to Charleston S.C. to speak with employment attorney Amy Gaffney about her role in  recent  Cheer sexual abuse lawsuits.   Gaffney's insights into the Ohio suit, as well as her ability to provide a defense attorney's perspective on the pending litigation, make this conversation one you won't want to miss. 

The Cheer Incorporated podcast production team had the pleasure of speaking with “The Twins’ Mom” Kristen in late October, 2022. Kristen’s sons are victims of so-called “cheerlebrity,” Jerry Harris.  In our first conversation with Kristen  she recounted her and her son's story of standing up - even when that meant standing up alone.  In this episode she shares advice for current survivors, as well as her opinion on where the cheerleading industry must go to right its systemic wrongs. ...

In this episode of Cheer Incorporated host Jennifer Wood and producer Dylan Nolan dig into the recently filed Ohio lawsuit, detailing both the allegations of abuse that follow the pattern set forth in previous suits, as well as cheer industry governing body USASF's response, which initially seemed appropriate - but devolved when attorneys were brought into the mix. Stay tuned for an exciting announcement at the end of this week's show. 

Please Note: This episode contains graphic content that may be disturbing or traumatizing to some audiences.  Listener discretion is advised. In this episode the we dig further into the enabling culture exemplified by the harrowing stories of new victims in new states.   Sound familiar? Almost formulaic? This is one of the key dynamics of the Cheer Incorporated scandal … a culture which refuses to take credible allegations of abuse seriously and then refuses to hold abusers accountable even...

I recently read the book Armies of Enablers: Survivor Stories of Complicity and Betrayal in Sexual Assaults by Professor Amos Guiora. Professor Guiora teaches law at the University of Utah. Armies of Enablers encompasses his extensive research on institutional complicity, enabling culture, and sexual assaults.  What I loved the most about this book is that it was written from the perspective of the survivors of sexual assault.  I was elated when Professor Guiora agreed to be a guest on...

“It takes a village.”  As a parent, I developed a greater understanding of the implied trust we place in other parents - a truly sacred trust which holds that they are watching out for your kids as much as you are watching out for their kids. The systemic failures of the cheerleading industry have shaken my trust. Does the industry just not care?  Or is enabling abusers simply too profitable?  In this episode we delve into who the USASF hired to  "minimize the risk of child sexual abuse and...

The Cheer Incorporated team has been Murdaughed ... for those of you who aren't FITSNews core audience members, allow me to explain.    This expansive case involves Alex Murdaugh, a disgraced and disbarred attorney from a small town called Hampton, South Carolina, was indicted in July for the murder of his 52 year old wife, Maggie Murdaugh and 22 year old son, Paul Murdaugh at their home on June 7, 2021. The brutal murders alone would have made headlines, but the web of crime and corruption...

Last week, this podcast shared the first part of our host Jenn Wood’s amazing interview with Kristen - the mother of twin boys who are survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by Jerry Harris, one of the stars of the hit Netflix show, Cheer. We had intended to air the second half of that interview today but we’ve delayed that so we can turn our attention to some interesting legal moves by Tennessee-based Varsity. This episode is going to be one you won’t want to miss... 

Cheer Incorporated speaks with Kristen, the mother of the victims of Jerry Harris.  Harris was propelled into superstardom by Netflix’s hit show, Cheer.   In July 2022 - a month before Foster’s suicide - Harris was sentenced to twelve years in prison for soliciting sex from minors and coaxing them into sending him obscene images and videos.  When we first began covering the Cheer Incorporated story, Kristen reached out to me via Twitter.  She offered me perspective, insight, and kind...

In this episode of Cheer Incorporated we follow the money as we ask why this isn't already a national news story.   We then dig into the lawsuits and discover that many of the allegations fit the "groomer's playbook."   Finally - we address the Varsity president's statement regarding the allegations, reiterating our open microphone policy while contesting some of his claims. 

Cheer Incorporated explores how loopholes and legal entities have been exploited for years to allow individuals with blatant misconduct in their past to continue to have access to children.

Cheer Incorporated speaks exclusively to one of the mothers of the lawsuit filed in Federal court last week. In this heart wrenching interview, Mary Doe tells the story of how her son was victimized by a coach they trusted and in the aftermath, failed by a flawed system. The Hauntings of Harlan County, KY, and moreHear real evidence from the Harlan County Ghost Hunters (Hunter’s on Facebook), as we...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Unfiltered Stories & Life Advice by Experienced...

Hear from a survivor for the first time and explore the origins of modern cheer and the Varsity empire.  

The Cheer Incorporated team visited attorneys from the Strom law firm to hear firsthand how their lawsuit is exposing the cheer industry's secret culture.  

This news outlet is launching a new format dedicated to amplifying our ongoing coverage of the Rockstar Cheer revulsion - a scandal of escalating proportion which has its point of origin in the socially conservative Upstate region of South Carolina. This is one of the most important stories our news outlet is ever going to cover ... and like the 'Murdaugh Murders’ crime and corruption saga, I want to make sure we are covering it right. The new format to which I am referring is called Cheer...