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For Immediate Release
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Brett Abrams, brett@unbendablemedia.com

Kavanaugh Should Be Scrutinized, Not Ford

UltraViolet: If you believe survivors of sexual assault, Ford has no reason to testify

WASHINGTON

Moments ago, it was reported that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her would testify publicly on Monday.

This weekend, The Washington Post published a piece in which Christine Blasey Ford, the writer of the confidential letter accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault back in high school, came forward to speak out about her story. In the piece, Ford described how Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, and that when she tried to scream, Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth.

In reaction to the news, Shaunna Thomas, Executive Director and Co-founder of UltraViolet, a leading national women's group, issued the following statement:

"We believe women and we believe Christine Blasey Ford.

"Ford has demonstrated tremendous courage in coming forward and sharing her story of how Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her.

"If we believe Ford's story that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, then there is no reason for a public hearing that puts Ford in the spotlight. Senators should be publicly opposing Kavanaugh and calling for him to withdraw his nomination.

"We will not sit by and let Republicans use this hearing to attack, undermine and shame Ford. The Senate must recognize that investigations and public hearings are systemically stacked against survivors of sexual assault - in this case, shifting the burden from Kavanaugh, who has already lied to the Senate, to Ford, who has no reason to lie.

"Simply put: violence against women should have no place in our society and it certainly should have no place on the highest court in the nation. Senators should be publicly announcing their opposition to Kavanaugh, and he should withdraw his nomination immediately. "

UltraViolet is a powerful and rapidly growing community of people mobilized to fight sexism and create a more inclusive world that accurately represents all women, from politics and government to media and pop culture.