As new accusers of nominated Supreme Court Judge, Brett Kavanaugh reveal themselves, I am blown away at the critics of their stories, primarily Republicans. But, first, let me back up.
Assault is assault. It's a criminal act of someone in power physically overpowering another individual as part of an act of malicious intent. The degree to which one is injured is irrelevant. The state of toxicity of the victim is irrelevant. The fact that the accused assailant was once a victim themselves is irrelevant. The fact is that someone is being wronged, and someone else is doing the deed.
With the first accuser of Kavanaugh, her credibility was immediately called into question. How can someone remember the details of something that happened so long ago? Why wasn't it pursued then? In my experience, high school is easy to remember, especially the negative. When I was a senior, I was working on an independent art study with two classmates, a black male classmate and a white female classmate. We were outside using a spray adhesive on an art project we were working on together when underclassmen who were black decided to harass us, question us, and ultimately spit on our art project. The fact that they were black is important, because my words to them after seeing them ruin our art were harsh: "instead of wasting my time in school walking the halls, I'm trying to get an education and have a future instead of deep frying chicken for a living." It was then that one of the three boys punched me in the jaw, and another punched me in the back of my head, before running off. Long story short, we got the teacher and I was able to identify one of my attackers for the vice principal who was overseeing the resolution to the altercation. He then told my mom and dad that I provoked the boys, and was to blame. The attackers weren't expelled and only one of the three received a suspension. And that was that. To the school, I was almost as guilty as the ones throwing the punches. It's true that I chose my words poorly, as referencing fried chicken could be interpreted as a racist slur. I admit that there were months when I questioned myself and the words I used. Why didn't I say "flipping burgers?" Regardless, I remember it all in vivid detail. That was in 1993, 25 years ago.
I'm sure that the words I used are different than the exact quote I've identified above. But, I remember the teacher and the fact that it was an independent study, the fact that one of the kids who hit me was an extremely light-skinned black boy, that the project was a play on the Beatles song "Blackbird" and that it was a book which incorporated pop-ups and spray painted feathers, and I can recall the doors we used to leave the High School to use the adhesive and the location of the art teacher's classroom...and its layout, and the fact that we had jazz playing in the background while we worked...
And to that point, these women who are coming forward can also recall a similar level of detail. It's possible. What's more, it's likely. And, they're not coming forward without risking anything. Yes, ultimately, the Democratic party is using their stories as a blunt physical instrument for stopping the nomination of an extremely conservative judge who has views of women that are not modern or scientifically accurate. You can argue with me on that point, however, the testimony of these women is inarguable. It is their truths and accusations...ones that, at the very least, require far more consideration than politics is allowing. I understand that once this nomination goes through, or doesn't, the casualties in this political fight will be these women. They get nothing from this process. They get to be used and bludgeoned by our bi-polar political system, and then left to fend for themselves amid accusations, death threats, and the potential for being sued themselves for libel.
There is no winning for these women. They will get nothing, and that has to make you think: why would they come forward with these allegations? How can we trust their words? It's simple, the events in the past that are now coming to light hold a special and very negative meaning for these women. This has impacted their entire lives since either witnessing debauchery at the hand of Kavanaugh, or being a victim his advances. It's not enough to point fingers at the Democrats accusing them of political motivations. That's why they were elected, to be political, same as the Republicans who are trying to get this done before the midterms.
It's true that there have been several nationally publicized sexual assault accusations that were proven to be fabricated. However, the number of forcible rape cases is on the rise in the United States. Since 2013 when it was 23.5 cases per 100,000, the number of cases has risen to 30.7 rapes per 100,000 people. That translates to over 99,000 cases in 2017. So, before you become political judge, jury and executioner yourself based on news headlines, take into account that not only are the accusations plausible, but they're likely.
Check these statistics from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and let's give due deference to these women's accusations for a man who may be presiding over cases pertaining to sexual assault and women's rights over the course of a lifetime appointment.
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