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After Blasey Ford Thanks Supporters, Women Nationwide Respond: No. The Thanks Goes to You.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27, 2018 regarding her allegations of sexual assault against Judge Brett Kavanaugh. (Photo: Ninian Reed/Flickr/cc)

After Blasey Ford Thanks Supporters, Women Nationwide Respond: No. The Thanks Goes to You.

"Thank you, Dr. Blasey Ford. We are forever grateful for your bravery and voice."

Two months after her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding her allegations of sexual assault against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford issued a rare public statement on Monday thanking supporters for their help in recent weeks--both financial and otherwise--and shared her plan to put the donations that have poured in from across the country to good use.

The message in response was: No, Dr. Ford, thank you.

On the GoFundMe account that was set up for her by supporters in September, Ford called the money that has been raised a "godsend" and shared that her family has been able to use the nearly $650,000 donated by more than 13,000 people to pay for housing and security since having to leave their home after Ford's story became public.

"Your tremendous outpouring of support and kind letters have made it possible for us to cope with the immeasurable stress, particularly the disruption to our safety and privacy. Because of your support, I feel hopeful that our lives will return to normal." --Christine Blasey FordThe GoFundMe account has now far exceeded its original goal of raising $150,000. The remainder of the money will be donated to "organizations that support trauma survivors," she wrote.

"Your tremendous outpouring of support and kind letters have made it possible for us to cope with the immeasurable stress, particularly the disruption to our safety and privacy," Ford told her supporters. "Because of your support, I feel hopeful that our lives will return to normal."

After her claim that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a high school party in the 1980s were publicized on September 19, Ford began receiving death threats which, according to reports from earlier this month, were ongoing as of three weeks ago. The Ford family has had to move several times as well as retain a security service and set up a home security system.

"Although coming forward was terrifying, and caused disruption to our lives, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to fulfill my civic duty," Ford wrote. "Having done so, I am in awe of the many women and men who have written me to share similar life experiences, and now have bravely shared their experience with friends and family, many for the first time. I send you my heartfelt love and support."

Women's rights groups and other supporters responded with their own messages of thanks to Ford.

The Senate confirmed Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on October 6 in a vote of 50 to 48, putting lawmakers at great odds with the American public. Ford's testimony inspired impassioned protests across the country, with thousands of survivors and allies flooding Capitol Hill to demand that their senators vote against the judge.

Forty-five percent of Americans told an NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll that they believed Ford's testimony versus 33 percent who said they believed Kavanaugh, while 51 percent told CNN that the judge should not have been confirmed.

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