FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2018
It is imperative that Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States be withdrawn. The Senate Judiciary Committee must demonstrate that it is willing to uphold the integrity of this nation’s highest court as well to hold offenders accountable and protect victims. CCASA is in solidarity with Dr. Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and all survivors. We believe you.
The public rhetoric that questions if and when survivors have chosen to disclose the abuses they have endured is outrageous and must end. As has been demonstrated time and time again, survivors often face victim blaming, disbelief, and even attacks when they come forward. This narrative contributes to decades of silencing and shaming survivors, and removes the focus from where it should be – on the actions of those who commit sexual violence.
In addition to an onslaught of public attention to sexual violence, which has been retraumatizing for many survivors, our communities await a final bipartisan congressional reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). “In this time of #MeToo and the growing recognition of how widespread sexual violence is, it is ridiculous that Congress has postponed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and that the Senate Judiciary Committee is minimizing the accusations against Kavanaugh as trivial,” said Brie Franklin, Executive Director of the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, “If there is any actual commitment to addressing sexual violence, then the time to demonstrate that is now.”
Survivors, their families, and our communities deserve to live free from sexual violence. It is time – past time – that we take these accounts seriously, recognize the life long impacts often experienced by survivors, and hold offenders accountable.