PULLMAN, Wash. — Jason Gesser, the Cougar Athletic Fund assistant director resigned from Washington State University Tuesday amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations, including a formal complaint from former WSU volleyball player Alyssa Wold-Bodeau. Gesser sent his official resignation letter to several media outlets in the region, including The Daily Evergreen, WSU’s student newspaper.
Alyssa spoke with KREM2's Alexa Block Monday night and it was an emotional conversation. She began by talking about her early relationship with the Gesser family as a nanny.
“And I loved the family from the moment she first asked me to babysit their children. I instantly fell in love with them, with the three kids. And they were my family in Pullman. They're some of my favorite people to this day,” Alyssa said. “It was completely fine during that stint of nannying. 100 percent fine.”
Alyssa did want to describe the specifics of her experience on camera, but off-camera she confirmed allegations including groping and repeated attempts at kissing despite her rejections. When the other allegations against Gesser came out, a friend sent Alyssa an article.
“I honestly felt stuck and frozen. I don't think I moved for 15 minutes... staring at it. Because I didn't think it was real,” Alyssa said.
“It was in those 15 minutes, it was like three years’ worth of pent-up, like suppression of this coming out. Within like 15 minutes of staring at this article. Because I never wanted to believe that it would be a habitual thing. And when I realized other girls were being hurt, I was in disbelief,” Alyssa explained.
“I... held it in for three years because I thought I was alone. I held it in for three years because I thought I could handle the weight of it by myself if I just shut up, and if I just tried to move on,” Alyssa recalled.
“It's been so exhausting. So exhausting. But... for three years it's been in me... eating away at me. And so this process... I'm going to stand. I'm going to stay standing, and I'm not going to stop. I'm not going to stop until it stops,” She said.
“And I never thought I would be a part of it. I never thought it would happen to me. And now I get it. I get it... when other girls say they never thought it'd happen to them.
Here's what Alyssa has to say to WSU:
“I want them to own up. I want them to own up for their actions. And I want them to stop supporting predatory men, that are going after these women. Because by giving them a platform, by giving him a platform, it gives him the power to continue doing this,”
And to the women experiencing abuse:
“I... I want this to empower people, to feel like they have a voice in this, because I didn't for three years. And that's why I didn't say anything; I didn't think I had a voice in this. And that's why I'm here, because if I don't do something now, it's not going to stop. And I want other girls to feel like, no matter where they're at, no matter what happens, it's wrong. No matter how you feel, it's wrong. It's wrong,”
“A no is a no. Whether it's a kiss or more. It doesn't matter. Assault is assault,” Alyssa said.
“That's my biggest thing to people. Is... trust your gut. And know that you can have a voice in this. Because it doesn't matter how small, it still matters,”
Following the formal complaint Alyssa filed, WSU put Gesser on home assignment. Then, while we were on the air on Tuesday afternoon, Gesser resigned.
Alyssa responded to that resignation with her own statement, saying in part:
"It's a relief to know that no other young women will be subjected to Mr. Gesser's actions and abuse of power,” Alyssa said.
Alyssa also called for women who have been abused to come forward and share their own stories.