21st Century: Query 122 (Dr. Christine Ford Blasey)
“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.”
~ Dr. Christine Ford Blasey is an American professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and a research
psychologist at the Stanford University School of
Medicine. She specializes in designing statistical
models for research projects. During her academic career, Ford has
worked as a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine
Collaborative Clinical Psychology Program.
In September 2018, Ford alleged that then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett
Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in Bethesda, Maryland, when they were teenagers
in the summer of 1982. She testified about her allegations during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
regarding Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court
nomination later that month.
Kavanaugh
was confirmed despite Dr. Blasey’s testimony.
How does the shameful treatment of Dr. Blasey during her testimony and in the aftermath affect the willingness of future witnesses to come forward and testify against potential political appointees?