People Share Stories of Sexual Assault in Solidarity with Dr. Ford
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee today for alleging that Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, sexually assaulted her. In light of the hearing, people shared their own stories of sexual assault to show support and solidarity. Celebrities to everyday individuals opened up about their experiences on social media or in the news. Below are some of their moving accounts.
Actress Busy Philips shared a high school yearbook photo on Instagram from her teenage years. "This is me at 14. The age I was raped," she wrote. "It's taken me 25 years to say those words. I wrote about it in my book. I finally told my parents and sister about it 4 months ago. Today is the day we are silent no more. All of us. I'm scared to post this. I can't imagine what Dr. Ford is feeling right now."
A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Sep 27, 2018 at 8:52am PDT
A woman named Brenda from Valley Park, Missouri called into C-SPAN via the Democrats line to share that she was moved by Dr. Ford's testimony and recalled details from her own sexual assault decades ago.
"I'm a 76-year-old woman who was sexually molested in the second grade," she said. "This brings back so much pain. I thought I was over it, but it's not. You will never forget it. You get confused, and you don't understand it, but you never forget what happened to you. Without my family, I would've never been able to go through this. And now I'm 76 years old, and I thought I was over it until I heard that it happened to someone else, and it is such a shame."
Noticeably emotional, Brenda continued, "I was in the second grade, and it was a seventh-grader at my school. And you know, on rainy days they had you march around the school back then because they couldn't let you out. I would see him and I would get so upset.
"I've had a weight problem my whole life because I was so afraid that someone was gonna hurt me. And I'm married, I have a wonderful family, I have a wonderful husband, and a child, and great grandchildren, and I thought I was over this. I have not brought this up for years until I heard this testimony, and it's breaking my heart."
A woman called into CSPAN during the break and told a heart-wrenching story about her own personal trauma. Take a minute to listen to it in full. pic.twitter.com/sy4zmR5X7z
- Mother Jones (@MotherJones) September 27, 2018
One 53-year-old woman from Fort Pierce, Florida also called into the Republicans line to share her experience of sexual assault as a teen. "I am a survivor myself," she said, without stating her name.
"When I was 12, my best friend and our parents were also best friends, our families were best friends, sleeping over at her house and at around four in the morning, in the dim light of the night light, her 17-year-old brother hovered over her onto me with his hands in my underwear and fondling me," she added.
"And I remember being so frightened and not wanting to know anybody to be upset with me, because I love this family a lot," she said. "And so I shook to pretend I was waking up, and he backed off, and he came back two more times until my girlfriend started to stir a little bit. And then he left, and that was the end. And the only person I ever told that to was my husband, when I first married him, [or] a few years later, and a girlfriend since then. That being said, I'm still friends with that person. So, I would never, ever want to cause them harm. It's not worth it."
And a caller from the Republican line shares her experience. She also later shared that her daughter was also assaulted and that she found Ford credible but found Kavanaugh’s defense also”compelling” pic.twitter.com/SOcwWvMRN7
- Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) September 27, 2018
On Twitter, people also shared their own experiences of sexual assault during and after Dr. Ford's hearing.
I do NOT know how I got home after I was raped at 15. No memory of it. Neither does she. #ChristinaBlaseyFord
- ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) September 27, 2018
I was date-raped when I was 23. I didn't report it. I just went home the next morning and cried in the shower. I only spoke about it publicly when I wrote about it in my book. I cannot explain how it felt watching Dr. Ford today. She's a hero.
- Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) September 27, 2018
As a survivor of sexual assault, it’s empowering to watch Dr. Ford stand there strong & vulnerable & speak her truth to the entire world. No matter how this goes, we are disrupting a toxic system and this is just the beginning for women, minorities and 🏳?🌈. Together.
- Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) September 27, 2018
??TW??
I was raped by two men in a hotel room in a foreign country. I tried to jump out of the window to my death to escape.
I have blocked out most of the rape. Still.
After they were done, I vividly remember their laughing and offering to buy me room service breakfast. https://t.co/CcI6rZh77G- Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) September 27, 2018
As far as memory goes:
I can't tell you what day of the week I was raped on or what I had for dinner that night but I can tell you that I still remember exactly what he smelled like and how hot his breath was against my ear and what he said to me while it was happening.- noah michelson (@noahmichelson) September 27, 2018
I was sexually assaulted and raped in the 90s. I’ve named the guy who sexually assaulted me maybe once. I don’t think I’ve ever named my rapist to anyone. Not naming predators is not abnormal.
- “i know i want my key back.” (@KiaSpeaks) September 27, 2018
I was confined in an apartment & raped 40+ years ago. I have trouble being in places I can't get out of, such as trains & planes, but have learned to cope. That doesn't mean my rape didn't happen. #IBelieveChristineBlaseyFord #BelieveSurvivors
- Robin Warshaw (@robinwarshaw) September 27, 2018
I am a survivor of rape 40 years ago, I have forgot NOTHING, I can give you the date, time, place and people that were there!! You do not forget that shit!! I do not find #fordtestimony credible!!
- Christina Witzel (@chrissyma58) September 27, 2018
Watching #DrFord has opened up a wound in me regarding sexual assault, rape & two attempted rapes I survived. If any of these men tried to be a Supreme Court Justice or any other elected official I would also speak out. And yes, my memory would be fuzzy too. #IBelieveChristine
- ThatGirlAtTheParty (@tgatp) September 27, 2018
Some also used the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which gained momentum last week when survivors explained why they kept quiet about their experiences of sexual assault. About two thirds of sexual assaults are not reported to police, often to protect the victim and his/her family or in fear of further crimes from the offender, according to statistics from RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).
This has been a difficult morning for me but here goes. #WhyIDidntReport Because I was a child, because I was ashamed, because I was scared, because I was threatened, because I was convinced no one would believe me, because I wanted to pretend it never happened #BelieveSurviviors
- Helen Zbihlyj 💚💙?? (@HelenAngel) September 27, 2018
Because I was 14. We were working on a school project at his house. He typed, "Just went down on her, time to get mine" to another boy on Instant Messenger, looked at me and said, "you're not gonna make me a liar are you?" 1/ #WhyIDidntReport
- Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) September 27, 2018
Okay, here it is. When I was 24, I was date raped on two separate occasions by two different males. Why didn’t I say anything or report it? Because I was casually dating each of them and I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I didn’t even believe myself until years later.
- Patti Murin (@PattiMurin) September 27, 2018
Anyone affected by sexual assault, whether it's you or someone you know, can find support by calling the sexual assault hotline at 800.656.HOPE or visiting online.rainn.org.
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