The confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been a hot topic in the news and demonstrates key reasons why sexual assault victims remain silent. Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school, testified in front of the Senate on September 27, followed by Kavanaugh’s testimony. Two other women also made sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh. However, Kavanaugh was confirmed to become a supreme court justice on October 6 by a vote of 50-48, which was the closest confirmation vote since 1881, according to The Miami Herald.
While more Americans believe Ford over Kavanaugh, there is a large gender gap in opinions regarding the case. Among men, 32 percent of men believe Kavanaugh while 28 percent believe Ford. Among women, 35 percent believe Ford and 20 percent believe Kavanaugh. But the most startling poll to come out has been that 54 percent of Republicans say they think Kavanaugh should be confirmed regardless if Ford’s allegations are true. This exemplifies one of the reasons why women may choose to remain silent after their sexual assault. That even if they do come forward no one will care and thus nothing will be done. When looking at the data, it is easy to understand why a woman would feel like this. When only 6 out of 1000 rapes leads to incarceration and 33 out of 1000 assaults leads to incarceration it’s discouraging for women to report their abuse.
Another example leading women to this assumption is allegations against President Trump. He has had 22 women come forward accusing him of sexual misconduct from the 1970s all the way to 2013. Accusers say he has committed everything from harassment to rape. One accuser, Jessica Leeds, made her assault public, but Trump proceeded to deny her accusations because she wasn’t attractive enough for him to assault. Most of these allegations became public knowledge before the 2016 Presidential election. Despite these allegations, 52 percent of men voted for Trump, while only 41 percent supported Clinton. While most women did vote for Clinton, when you break down women voting by race, white women favored Trump over Clinton. These statistics show the upsetting reality in America: alleged assaulters can not only walk free but be elected by the people while having no regard for victims.
The Kavanaugh hearing is strikingly similar to the allegations by law professor Anita Hill against now Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas. This hearing in 1991 reflected so badly on the Senate that 1992 became the “Year of the Woman” in America. Hill was interrogated about her allegations by the all-white male Senate Judiciary Committee who attacked her credibility, which was overwhelmingly perceived as sexist. In the end, The FBI was used by Republicans to discredit Hill and push forward Thomas’s confirmation.
Another reason women may choose not to report sexual assault is for fear of embarrassment. Sexual assault can be very humiliating for the victim. Therefore, their desire to not be shamed may be stronger than their desire for justice. This fear may also be a stronger drive for male victims because much of society presumes that sexual assault is only a “female issue.” Embarrassment can also be linked to a feeling of self-blame. They may tell themselves that they “shouldn’t have drank so much” or “they shouldn’t have worn that outfit.”
This fear of humiliation also ties into the current Kavanaugh case because the President of the United States proceeded to mock Ford at a rally in Mississippi. When the president, who holds the most prestigious office in the country, mocks victims of sexual assault a poor message is transmitted to our nation. If it’s ok for the president to humiliate sexual assault victims than it’s okay for anyone else to. The most nauseating part of the scene is the cheers that erupt in the audience and the women who are visible, clapping and holding “Women for Trump” signs.
#WhyIDidntReport Two of his fraternity brothers showed up at my dorm room the next day and threatened to kill me if I told.
— Marley (@drcmarley) September 21, 2018
Furthermore, victims may choose not to come forward for fear of retaliation. This is especially true when the assault is carried out by a coworker. A 2003 study found that 75 percent of individuals who spoke out against workplace harassment faced some form of retaliation. Victims fear they will be fired from their jobs or will receive some other form of professional retaliation, as seen in the Harvey Weinstein case. Weinstein threatened his victims with an ultimatum. The victims could either rebuff his sexual advances and ruin their career, or they could accept and he could help them attain desirable roles. Victims may also fear threats against their life. This is something seen as a result of Ford coming forward with her allegations. She has received numerous death threats and has had to relocate her and her family for safety.
Additional reasons woman won’t report their assault is because they believed it was a personal matter. They believed it was not important enough to report, according to RAINN. It might be easy to make a quick judgment of sexual assault victims, questioning why wouldn’t they “just come forward sooner?” However, this line of thinking needs to stop. Instead, we should attempt to put ourselves in the shoes of the victim. Whether they remain silent forever or wait several years to come forward with allegations like Ford did, it shouldn’t discredit their experience because everyone reacts to trauma differently.