The Kavanaugh Allegations | Teen Ink

The Kavanaugh Allegations

Update: October 5, 2018

On the morning of Friday, October 5, 2018, the Senate voted to advance the Kavanaugh nomination to the final stage of voting, which has been scheduled for Saturday, October 6. The procedural vote was split 51-49 in favor of advancing the Kavanaugh nomination. Senator Jeff Flake, who asked for the delay in order for an FBI investigation to be held, was the 51st vote. The Senators can cast a different vote than they originally cast during the procedural vote, but the pressure from their constituents may differ from what they personally feel during a time in which re-elections are on the forefront of many people's minds. 

Protestors show their support for Dr. Ford on Thursday, Oct 4.

On Thursday, October 4, outspoken comedian Amy Schumer and actress Emily Ratajkowski were arrested alongside about 300 other people while protesting the Kavanaugh nomination on Capitol Hill. As you can see from many of their signs, they demonstrate their belief in Dr. Ford's testimony and demand justice for the victims. 

With Saturday's vote coming fast and still an air of uncertainty, the results of this vote will undeniably set a precedent for many cases to come.

Check out these stories from TeenInk teens; these stories show that women of all ages, shapes, cultures, and backgrounds suffer many of the same issues. Share your stories, thoughts, and opinions about the #MeToo movement and all of the issues involved by submitting to www.teenink.com/submit

Click the title to read the story and share your feedback with the authors. 

A Letter to the People I've Told by Anonymous

You're Not Alone (I Promise) by Anonymous

I Ate a Toy Truck by Anonymous

Was It? by Anonymous

I Said No by Anonymous

Sanctuary by wooldhoot

Letter to My Sexual Assulter's Girlfriend by AprilAries98

Winter Evening by XxSmilesxX

Violated by ahg.nj

You Were My Friend by Zero

To The Society That Calls Itself Fair by kjeanb01

Victim Blaming and Physiology by ellaBlevad

My Story by RoseAmore

It's Time for Men To Take Responsibility for Their Actions by AndyZ

September 27, 2018

It’s been almost a year since the #MeToo movement really took root when the New York Times published their article against Harvey Weinstein with multiple accounts accusing him of sexual misconduct.

Throughout the past year, there have been dozens of public accusations against not just Harvey Weinstein, but a multitude of men, and even a few women, in the public eye. Celebrities, politicians, business executives, and educators alike are being confronted for their past acts and each of the accused has had to face public scrutiny regarding their apology or lack thereof. Bill Cosby - once knowns as America's dad - was found guilty and sentenced to three to ten years in prison. 

Brett Kavanaugh and his wife, Ashley, during the Fox News interview 9/24/18

Brett Kavanaugh is the latest of the accused. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Trump to fill the empty seat in the Supreme Court, but in mid-September, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward to say that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. A week later, Deborah Ramirez, who attended Yale with Kavanaugh, also came forward with her sexual assault allegations against him. On September 26, Julie Swetnick’s allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh when they were in high school were released, on the day before the testimonies from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh were to be heard.

Sexual assault, abuse, and rape are more common occurrences than anyone would imagine or wish for. However, it is never a surprise to see many victims get shamed or blamed for letting themselves be put in that situation, wearing provocative clothing, not fighting back, or for not reporting the incidents immediately.

The biggest pushback that these victims receive is evidenced by the question of “why didn’t you report this when it happened?”

This helped the tag #WhyIDidntReport start to trend on Twitter. This past weekend, Alyssa Milano revealed that she had been sexually assaulted in the past, confronting President Trump on his stance regarding the accusations against Kavanaugh.

Many other celebrities and many victims of sexual assault took to social media to share hundreds of thousands of stories about why they didn’t report the crime when it happened. Lili Reinhart, who plays Betty Cooper in the hit series Riverdale, shared her reason on Twitter:

Ashley Judd shares a story that many found familiar. There are thousands of responses from everyday people - men and women - who have finally found a platform to express their pains for the first time.

Pauley Perrette details her encounter with a football player in high school. She also details how sharing her story helped save her later in life.

Brett Kavanaugh has denied all the allegations by the women and, in an unprecedented move, he went on Fox News for an interview in which he stated that the allegations were false and went as far as stating that he had been a virgin for many years after high school.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is testifying on September 27, and she has been questioned regarding her recollections of the event and the truthfulness of her accounts. 

Many people are calling for an investigation by the FBI on Kavanaugh in light of the accusations and the extreme importance of the job in which Brett Kavanaugh is working to fill.

We want to hear from you. Your story is important. Your opinions are important. It's your right to express your feelings. Share your #MeToo and #WhyIDidntReport stories; share your thoughts and opinions on the importance of the Kavanaugh Allegations; and share your thoughts on the current situation. 

Do you believe Judge Kavanaugh or Dr. Ford's testimony? Do you believe that either party is being treated unfairly? Should there be an investigation? Should the accusers or the accused be given the benefit of the doubt? Do you have a #MeToo or #WhyIDidntReport story that needs to be heard?

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