Christine Blasey Ford testimony triggers memories for sexual assault survivors

Boston 25 News reporter Crystal Haynes spoke with a sexual assault survivor about what it must have been like for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford to come forward and testify against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

"When I think of a woman sitting with a room full of men; it must be very, very uncomfortable for her," said sexual assault survivor and associate director of My Life My Choice Audrey Morrissey said.

Ford's emotional testimony recounting what she claims was a sex assault at the hand of Kavanaugh in the summer of 1982 has triggered the trauma of sex assault survivors like Morrissey.

"It is something that doesn't go away when someone or attempt to violate you in such a way it is something you never forget," said Morrissey.

Morrissey was sex trafficked as a teenager in Boston's infamous Combat Zone and spent years pulling herself out of that trauma and drug addiction.

"A lot of the buyers that I encountered were lawyers; men in government. Privileged white men with high positions," said Morrissey.

"In this process, she needed to re-experience that helplessness and that vulnerability and hearing their laughter, those clear moments over and over again," said Lisa Goldblatt Grace, executive director of My Life My Choice. "It can take a lifetime. I mean, we're watching people disclose things on social media that they've never said in their entire life and had planned on taking to their grave. But felt with the courage of Dr. Ford they wanted to join with her."

The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport is trending as Dr. Ford disclosed before the nation what is usually disclosed in a courtroom.

>> National sexual assault hotline calls jumped 147% during Christine Blasey Ford's testimony

Kavanaugh has denied all of her claims and those three other women who have come forward.

"It actually would be a lot more fair if it was in front of court where you have an experienced judge who would say stop a witness from being badgered or for them to go off on a tangent where their questioners are making speeches," said defense attorney Peter Elikann.

The FBI has not opened an investigation into Ford's claims. Elikann says he would do things differently on Kavanaugh's team.

"I would first advise to do everything we could to get the FBI to do an investigation first, so we can get something to back us up. Rather than wind up in this one person’s word against another," said Elikann.

Elikann says having this proceeding in a courtroom would also allow an impartial judge and jury to be selected, rather than senators who have already made their opinions on this case known.

Cox Media Group