The spotlight is on Supreme Court Justice nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. Nominated on July 9, 2018, Kavanaugh has found himself in the middle of a scandal that has many people wondering how much sexual assault matters to the government. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a high school classmate of Kavanaugh, alleges that, while at a party, she was forced onto a bed, groped all while her mouth was covered so that she was unable to call for help.

Kavanaugh has vehemently denied these allegations, stating that “my family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed by vicious and false additional accusations.”

Since coming forward, Ford has received death threats and is under fire for her emotional testimony. When asked why she chose to come forward with her allegations, she responded, “Once he was selected and it seemed like he was popular and it was a sure vote, I was calculating daily the risk/benefit for me of coming forward, and wondering whether I would just be jumping in front of a train that was headed to where it was headed anyway and that I would just be personally annihilated.”

Illinois Senator Dick Durban (D) asked Kavanaugh if he would support an FBI investigation into the allegations. Kavanaugh responded, “I’m telling the truth.”  Many see the evidence brought forward for the case matching Ford’s testimony more closely than Kavanaugh’s. Kavanaugh and Mark Judge both attest that they don’t remember there being any party at all, but Kavanaugh’s calendar from 1982 hints otherwise.

After two more women – Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick – came forward with other damaging statements about Kavanaugh, the Judiciary Committee voted to forward the Judge’s nomination contingent on a weeklong FBI investigation into all these claims. These allegations are forcing Americans to ask, “How much does the government care about sexual assault?” and “Do people accused of these crimes deserve a place in our highest court?”  

With the hashtag #webelievechristine, women internationally are standing with Dr. Ford.  Female celebrities are also sharing their stories of assault. Actress Sarah Hyland wrote:  “#whyididntreport He was a friend. It was New Year’s Eve my senior year of high school. Everyone was drunk. He broke into the bathroom I was in. I hoped it was a dream but my ripped tights in the morning proved otherwise. I thought no one would believe me. I didn’t want to be called dramatic.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673