Reactions to Blasey Ford’s Allegations

It is hard to fully describe the reactions emerging since Dr. Christine Blasey Ford made sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Clients, friends, colleagues and I share disgust as we watch waves of cruelty crash down on Ford for revealing her truth. Having seen over and over again the price survivors have paid when they have come forward, I am awed by her bravery. There is gratitude for those fighting to ensure Blasey Ford’s voice is heard. There are formidable opponents rallying behind this man, therefore fear is strong for the integrity of the highest court in the nation and the potential damage a person who justifies sexual misconduct could do in this seat of power.

President Trump tweeted on 9/21/18, “I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time and place!”

This is one of many voices who speak up even though they are breathtakingly ignorant about sexual abuse and assault. But these words are more than uninformed; they are dangerous. They perpetuate the myths and attitudes that promote sexual violence and the stigma survivors have to endure. Here are just two forms of this destructive rhetoric:

There should be a statute of limitations on how long someone should be held responsible for their behavior.

“Teenagers do terrible things. That isn’t an excuse, and it doesn’t make the terrible thing less terrible, but it does lend context. The point isn’t simply that time has passed. The point is that most people change dramatically between their teenaged years and their fifties. People change dramatically even between their teenaged years and their mid-twenties. If a man at 60 is accused of having done something awful at 40, that past sin is more relevant than the past sin of a man at 35 who is accused of having done something awful at 15. The same amount of time has passed, but the personal transformation a human being undergoes between 15 and 35 is much deeper and more profound than whatever changes he may experience between 40 and 60. Most of the time, if a guy is a scumbag at 40, he’ll be a scumbag at 60. But a great many 15-year-old scumbags become perfectly decent adults.” https://conservativemedia.com/news/walsh-brett-kavanaugh-cant-disqualified-based-unsubstantiated-story-30-years-ago/

Time does not automatically mean change. I do not know how we can ignore the actions of someone who has never admitted to wrong-doing, never sought treatment, and never offered to make reparations. Based on Kavanaugh’s statement made during his speech at the Catholic University’s Columbus school of law, “What happens at Georgetown Prep, stays at Georgetown Prep,” there is no evidence that his attitudes towards appropriate behavior and accountability have changed.

In addition, the person who inflicted “terrible things” may have moved on but the impacts linger for the survivor. This is clearly the case for Dr. Ford. She was in couple’s counseling in 2012, working through issues with her husband when the disclosure occurred. This suggests that what took place when she was a teen has impacted her marriage. She was also reported as having said, “”I think it derailed me substantially for four or five years.” She went on to say that she struggled academically, socially, and in her ability to have healthy relationships with men.

I have worked with people decades following an assault, who are distraught and confused as to why they still struggle. Symptoms may include nightmares, difficulty trusting others, anger and blame, shame, numbness, and a sense of being defiled. Clearly, Kavanaugh has lived for years without concern about consequences. Dr. Ford did not have such a luxury.

If it happened, it would’ve been reported

According to the 2012 United States Justice Department’s National Crime Victimization Survey, 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. An even higher rate was found by a British government study, which put their number between 75 and 95%. Let’s consider the reasons, using Dr. Blasey Ford’s experience as a backdrop:

Concerns they will not be believed

Graham, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, the panel vetting Kavanaugh’s nomination, called the allegations “wholesale character assassination.”
Blasey Ford was dismissed as a liar by the White House and characterized as “mistaken” by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Not only was this statement made before hearing the facts, he ignored the FBI crime statistics indicate that only 2% of reported rapes are false.
Blasey Ford volunteered to take a polygraph test, which was administered by a retired FBI agent.

Having to relive the story

Dr. Blasey Ford has had to share details of her experience with senators, her lawyers, and some media outlets like the Washington Post. She has agreed to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, while having to deal with her story blanketed across news sites and social media.

Feelings of embarrassment and stigma

Please see all other areas of this article.

Ambiguity about what constitutes sexual assault

Dr. Blasey Ford told The Washington Post, “I’m not telling anyone this,” she recalled thinking. “This is nothing. It didn’t happen, and he didn’t rape me.” At the time, this fifteen year old did not understand that the criminal act of sexual assault does not have to mean penetration. As the Meriam Dictionary states, “Sexual assault is an act in which a person sexually touches another person without that person’s consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will.” According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, Blasey Ford endured a blitz sexual assault, “when a perpetrator quickly and brutally assaults the victim with no prior contact.” www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-assault

Concerns that the criminal justice system is largely ineffective at responding to or preventing such incidents.

Sen Jeff Flake stated, “Dr. Ford’s testimony would reflect her personal knowledge and memories of events. Nothing the FBI or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what Dr. Ford tells the committee, so there is no reason for any further delay,” (Regarding the Supreme Court nomination).
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said at the Value Voters Summit Friday, “In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court. So my friends, keep the faith, don’t get rattled by all of this. We’re going to plow right through it and do our job.”
The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have asked the White House to have the FBI investigate Ford’s charges. Last week, the FBI said it had simply referred the matter to the White House, as an update to Kavanaugh’s background check. https://www.npr.org/2018/09/17/648783307/from-anita-hill-to-christine-blasey-ford-the-similarities-and-differences

Fear of reprisal

Ford told the Washington Post, “Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.”
Due to death threats, Dr. Blasey Ford and her family have had to leave their residence and arrange for private security
There have been numerous attempts to discredit Blasey Ford, such as:
- Since she went public, students have left negative reviews on her RateMyProfessors.com profile, calling her “unprofessional” and citing her “dark” personality.
- False claims Judge Kavanaugh’s mother once ruled against Dr. Blasey’s parents in a foreclosure case.
- False claims Dr. Blasey made similar sexual assault accusations against Justice Neil Gorsuch during his nomination process.
- Portraying Dr. Blasey as a partisan Democratic donor with a long history of left-wing activism.
- False claims Dr. Blasey’s brother worked at a law firm with ties to the Russia investigation

How I wish that Dr. Ford and other survivors could come forward and be treated with care and human decency. How I wish this story could serve as a beacon to other survivors who need protection and support. Sadly, it is largely a cautionary tale. As we can see, it is not always wise or possible for survivors to have a voice. There is no right path and reporting should never be mandated. Even if demands comes from the President of the United States, only the survivor can determine what is needed to heal and feel safe.

Yet there is hope, for Dr. Ford’s courage is allowing the world to see on a national scale what happens when a survivor comes forward. We have proof that sexual violence is just the beginning of the ordeal. Sharing one’s story means enduring ugly attitudes and prejudices that pile on additional forms of insult and injury. This dark force is out in the open and that means there is another opportunity to confront it head on. When you’re ready, Side By Side Counseling is here to stand beside you.

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Sources around the Kavanaugh/Ford Allegations

Further Readings About Sexual Assault

Reactions to Blasey Ford’s Allegations

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