Challenge the Culture of Silence: Support Survivors and Hold Perpetrators Accountable

As the news unfolds about Christine Blasey Ford’s description of being assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh when she was 15 and he was 17,* I’ve been thinking about a conversation I had with my mother during the 1991 hearings regarding Clarence Thomas’ nomination to the Supreme Court.  I was riveted by Anita Hill testifying against Clarence Thomas and describing his pattern of sexual harassment. I was angry that Hill’s motives and credibility were questioned, additional witnesses prepared to testify were not called, and that Thomas was confirmed by a narrow margin.  

My mother and I rarely talked about national events, but when I mentioned Anita Hill during one of our phone conversations, I discovered that she had also been following the hearings.  Not one to talk much about her early life experiences, to my surprise, my mother revealed that when she was 17 years old, her boss had sexually harassed her. She was shocked by her boss’s behavior and distressed that she could not tell anyone because she would be blamed. As far as I know, my mother had not spoken of her experience until after she heard Anita Hill testify.  What I do know is that her telling of his advances, her anger, and her fears were as fresh as if they had happened that morning and not fifty years earlier. 

Her telling of his advances, her anger, and her fears were as fresh as they if had happened that morning and not fifty years earlier.

Although she didn’t know it at 17, my mom was not the only woman to experience sexual harassment from a boss. The Me Too campaign originated by Tarana Burke in 2006 and revived as #MeToo by Alyssa Milano in 2017 has exposed the massive number of women who have experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault and their often long-lasting effects. As we’ve seen by revelation after revelation, there has been a longstanding pattern of men and boys sexually abusing women and girls; people in power ignoring, minimizing, or excusing their behavior; and, if the abuse is exposed to a larger community, the public demonizing women and girls who are victimized.

I am distressed at the response of members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, other political leaders, and members of the public who are sputtering versions of the despicable refrain of let’s not take sexual violence seriously, the victim is to blame, and what about that poor man/boy who has perpetrated violence.

These statements are especially appalling in the context of 50 year-old Brett Kavanaugh’s 2015 speech at Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law in which he fondly recalled the culture of silence at his high school and how he benefited from it: “Fortunately, we’ve had a good saying that we’ve held firm to to this day, as the dean was reminding me before the talk, which is ‘What happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep.' That’s been a good thing for all of us, I think.”

“Fortunately, we’ve had a good saying that we’ve held firm to to this day, as the dean was reminding me before the talk, which is ‘What happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep.' That’s been a good thing for all of us, I think.” Brett Kavanaugh 2015

Clarence Thomas was appointed to the Supreme Court for his lifetime while Anita Hill was vilified. And the way Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are talking they intend to repeat that pattern of denigrating a woman who speaks out and dismissing even the possibility of Kavanaugh engaging in unacceptable behavior. This culture of silence was in place 77 years ago when my mother swallowed her anger, fear, and distress because by the age of 17 she already knew she would not be believed. Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas did not stop a slim majority of the Senate from accepting his nomination, but for my mother and many other women Hill’s testimony was a public acknowledgment of the existence of predatory sexual behavior by men in positions of authority and Hill’s courage was a public acknowledgment of the resilience and resistance of those targeted. My mother was inspired to tell me her story because Anita Hill told hers. Christine Blasey Ford is telling her story because she says: “Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.” We must support her!

Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.” Christine Blasey Ford 2018

We need to try to balance the scales of justice by supporting Christine Blasey Ford and other survivors of sexual assault and holding perpetrators accountable for their behavior. Let’s build a community where our powerful members no longer fondly recall a culture of silence and where the rest of us support each other to speak out and to resist. 

SOME THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

·      Share your story of being a bystander, a witness, a supporter, or a target 

For instance, my friend Brett recently posted a Facebook post about his high school days in the 1980s in Montgomery County MD (same time period & same locale as Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh). You can see it here.

·       If someone discloses experiencing or witnessing sexual violence, offer your support

RAINN recommends making it clear: I believe you, it is not your fault, you are not alone, I am sorry this happened to you. #IBelieveHer #IBelieveChristineBlaseyFord #StopKavanaugh

·       Call  Brett Kavanaugh 202-216-7180

Call Kavanaugh’s chambers in the U.S. Court of appeals demanding he withdraw his 

nomination.

·       Contact members of the Senate Judiciary committee (contact information below).

Here are some things you can demand the Committee does: call for an FBI investigation, decline to forward Kavanaugh’s nomination, and/or vote NO if they forward the nomination to the full Senate. Kavanaugh will not protect the interests or rights of people outside his political, economic, and social circles.

·       Contact your Senators

There are numerous ways to get in touch with your Senators. Pick a way that works for you and demand they vote NO on Kavanaugh.

o   Text

Resist Bot service will help you find your senator and send a message. Send the word RESIST to 50409.

o   Call  

The direct line to the Congressional Switchboard is (202) 224-312. You can call at anytime. The operator will connect you to your Senator’s office.

o   Send a letter

Go to The Action Network to send a letter.

·       Register to vote

Whether or not Kavanaugh takes a seat on the Supreme Court, we need to make our voices heard. If you are not already registered, then register as soon as possible and encourage others to register. Go to “Register to Vote.” In many states you can now register online.

·       Vote and encourage at least 5 others to vote

Thirty-five Senate seats are up for election. Check out the 2018 Senate Election Interactive Map and to find out which seats are most contested. Even if the Senate seats in your state are not being contested, VOTE.

Names and phone numbers of the Senate Judiciary Committee

·       Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman: (202) 224-3744

·       Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member: (202) 224-3841

·       Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): (202) 224-2823

·       Cory Booker (D-NJ): (202) 224-3224

·       Christopher Coons (D-DE): (202) 224-5042

·       John Cornyn (R-TX): (202) 224-2934

·       Mike Crapo (R-ID): (202) 224-6142

·       Ted Cruz (R-TX): (202) 224-5922

·       Dick Durbin (D-IL): (202) 224-2152

·       Jeff Flake (R-AZ): (202) 224-4521

·       Lindsey Graham (R-SC): (202) 224-5972

·       Kamala Harris (D-CA): (202) 224-3553

·       Orrin Hatch (R-UT): (202) 224-5251

·       Mazie Hirono (D-HI): (202) 224-6361

·       Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): (202) 224-3244

·       Patrick Leahy (D-VT): (202) 224-4242

·       Mike Lee (R-UT): (202) 224-5444

·       John Kennedy (R-LA): (202) 224-4623

·       Ben Sasse (R-NE): (202) 224-4224

·       Thom Tillis (R-NC): (202) 224-6342

·       Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): (202) 224-2921

*Last night there was breaking news of Deborah Ramirez coming forward with details of another example of sexual misconduct by Brett Kavanaugh.