Neither Republicans nor Democrats are pleased with the handling of the accusations of sexual assault against Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. The person most upset, however, is the victim herself.
California professor Christine Ford, whose professional name is Christine Blasey, came forward to speak with The Washington Post after stories of her accusation were misrepresented and the handling of her letter informing her congresswoman, Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) of the incident which she asked to be kept confidential.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Christine Blasey Ford says one summer in the 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend — both “stumbling drunk,” she alleges — corralled her into a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County, Maryland https://t.co/4hfIOmnv9s
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 16, 2018
Her story is extremely disturbing.
‘Speaking publicly for the first time, Ford said that one summer in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend — both “stumbling drunk,” Ford alleges — corralled her into a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County.
‘While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.
‘“I thought he might inadvertently kill me,” said Ford, now a 51-year-old research psychologist in northern California. “He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.”’
Washington Post: Professor Christine Blasey Ford tells her account of sexual assault incident by Brett Kavanaugh. She told her therapist and her husband years ago and took an FBI-administered polygraph test, which confirmed that she was being truthful. https://t.co/rhGICND2iI
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 16, 2018
The inevitable discounting of her story, which the right will surely pick to death over every detail, will call for proof of her accusation. Ford brought notes from her therapist from 2012, long before anyone knew Kavanaugh would be nominated for a SCOTUS seat or dreamed that Donald Trump would ever be the president, to back up her claims. She also submitted to and passed a polygraph.
‘Ford said she told no one of the incident in any detail until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband. The therapist’s notes, portions of which were provided by Ford and reviewed by The Washington Post, do not mention Kavanaugh’s name but say she reported that she was attacked by students “from an elitist boys’ school” who went on to become “highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington.” The notes say four boys were involved, a discrepancy Ford says was an error on the therapist’s part. Ford said there were four boys at the party but only two in the room.
Christine Blasey Ford "contacted The Post through a tip line in early July." But "for weeks, Ford declined to speak to The Post on the record as she grappled with concerns about what going public would mean for her & her family." Then her story leaked… https://t.co/cwA3exnGSm
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 16, 2018
Ford’s background will also surely come into question, as it inevitably does against survivors over the backgrounds and motives for lying of the accused. What The Post revealed so far is that:
‘Christine Ford is a professor at Palo Alto University who teaches in a consortium with Stanford University, training graduate students in clinical psychology. Her work has been widely published in academic journals…In the letter, which was read to The Post, Ford described the incident and said she expected her story to be kept confidential. She signed the letter as Christine Blasey, the name she uses professionally.’
Post has reviewed 2012 notes by a therapist from when the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, and her husband went to couples therapy that substantiate her account. pic.twitter.com/dM1ipJq8Fz
— David Pontious (@DavidPontious) September 16, 2018
Ford also reiterated that she did want to come forward, make a name for herself, or be recognized in any way. Out of concern for the repercussions of coming forward that survivors and their families often face, she chose to remain silent and anonymous. That was no longer possible.
‘These are all the ills that I was trying to avoid. Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.’
