@Watermama
This type of thread always brings out the worst experiences and I wouldn't necessarily worry, not if you're happy with the club.
My daughters both did and do gymnastics. The oldest stopped competing many years ago, now works as a coach and is still involved in a non-competitive form. She trains with many older teens and travels all over the place (including abroad) doing her gymnastics. When she was little she competed at a reasonable level (but was never an elite) and trained for 20 hours a week in artistic. My youngest still competes. She doesn't do artistic, but she hopes to make it to British Championships one day in her field. If she sticks at it and works hard, she might just make it. But because it is a much smaller discipline, it's not quite as competitive iyswim.
Over the past few weeks, we've been talking lots about the abuse and my daughters have both been forthcoming about their experiences. I can honestly say, I have always been able to stay and watch my daughters do gym. There are viewing windows, and there have been sessions when I have stayed and worked and watched the whole session (gym is a fair distance from my house, so haven't always bothered to go home). My girls have never been weighed, their weight has never been mentioned. I remember when my daughter was competing, over 6 years ago now, a child came from another gym and she was used to being weighed weekly and my daughter's coach said then it was an outdated idea that was no longer encouraged.
Both daughters have got so much from gym, and both say that they would sign their children up.
Obviously, I can't speak for the elite artistic route, but so few children make that level, I'm not so sure it would put me off doing gym per se, but I wouldn't necessarily seek out the top flight, iyswim. We had the option years ago if changing club and one of the clubs we looked at was a compulsory level (top flight) club for her to join. We decided not to go there. I was happy with my daughter doing exceptionally well at her level, and getting lots of medals rather than pushing for top flight gymnastics. In truth, she would never have made it as an elite, but she might have done her compulsories. For us, it just wasn't worth the sacrifice. Instead, my daughters have had years of fun in the sport and both have gained so much from it.
The abuse is there, I'm not denying that, but at the same time I don't think we can dismiss all gymnastics clubs as abusive and bad. A bit like many years ago, when several scout leaders turned out to be paedophiles, yes they existed and yes it was a problem, but it didn't make every scout leader a paedophile.
My daughters have been involved with 5 clubs, over 4 disciplines over 14 years. They vary massively in their approach (to squads, competitions, commitment, training etc etc). I think even the region you're in affects it (at regionals) just find the club that's right for you.