Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's most powerful quotes during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings

On September 27th, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee during confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Leading up to Dr. Ford’s courageous testimony, she alleged in a Washington Post interview that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in 1982 when they were both high school students. Dr. Ford describes a 17-year-old drunk Kavanaugh and his friend, Mark Judge, pushing her into a bedroom, where Kavanaugh proceeded to pin her to the bed, grind into her, try to strip off her clothes, and cover her mouth with his hand when she screamed for help. Dr. Ford was 15, and believed Kavanaugh was going to rape her or “inadvertently kill [her].” After Dr. Ford’s interview was published, two more women accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

While thousands and thousands of women and men have expressed their support for Dr. Ford, others—including this nation’s president—have attacked Dr. Ford’s dignity, accused her of lying, claimed that sexual assault is “no big deal,” and shared their misogynistic concerns that these allegations will “ruin” Kavanaugh’s life.

Despite being forced to publicly relive her trauma, Dr. Ford stood in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee to tell her story, the ultimate embodiment of heroism and bravery. Below are some of the most powerful quotes said by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford at today’s hearing.

1. “I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.”

2. “Apart from the assault itself, these last couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life. I have had to relive my trauma in front of the entire world.”

3. “…I don’t remember as much as I would like to. But the details about that night that bring me here today are ones I will never forget. They have been seared into my memory and have haunted me…”

4. “I have been accused of acting out of partisan political motives. Those who say that do not know me. I am an independent person and I am no one’s pawn.”

5. “I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming. This was what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me.”

6. “Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.”

After Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) asked Dr. Ford, “What is the strongest memory you have of the incident? Something you cannot forget.”

7. “…I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details…I tried to convince myself that because Brett did not rape me, I should be able to move on and just pretend that it had never happened. “

8. “I called my congressional representative and let her receptionist know that someone on the President’s shortlist had attacked me. I also sent a message to The Washington Post‘s confidential tip line…I stated that Mr. Kavanaugh had assaulted me in the 1980s in Maryland. This was an extremely hard thing for me to do, but I felt I couldn’t NOT do it.”

9. “Thousands of people who have had their lives dramatically altered by sexual violence have reached out to share their own experiences with me and have thanked me for coming forward…At the same time, my greatest fears have been realized—and the reality has been far worse than what I expected. My family and I have been the target of constant harassment and death threats. I have been called the most vile and hateful names imaginable. These messages, while far fewer than the expressions of support, have been terrifying to receive and have rocked me to my core.”

10. “100 percent.”

After Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked Dr. Ford, “With what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you?”

11. “All sexual assault victims should be able to decide for themselves whether their private experience is made public.”

12. “It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr. Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court. My responsibility is to tell the truth.”

We are grateful to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for her bravery. We stand with Dr. Ford and all survivors of sexual assault.

Read HelloGiggles’s coverage of the hearing here, and go here to see our tips for how to take care of yourself if today’s news has been triggering.