Millions of us were glued to the TV when Dr. Christine Blasey Ford told her story. During the hearing, phone numbers flashed across our screens. These phone numbers were for sexual assault hotlines. The number of calls these hotlines were receiving increased during and after Dr. Ford’s hearing. Hashtags were created and they continue to emerge: #BelieveSurvivors, #WhyIDidn’tReport, #MeToo, and the Time’s Up movement continues to expand.
Some of my patients at Maze who are survivors of sexual assault have told me that even though these movements are positive and empowering, their emotions are being “stirred up”. They are looking back and reexamining their response to their own experiences. In the Psychology Networker Lauren Docket writes: “Ford has given voice to millions of assault survivors. And the rest of the country has learned a good deal more about why they don’t always come forward, what they live with after the attacks….”.
I came across an article from Real Simple magazine about Family Mottos. A mother expresses to her daughter how important it is to stand up for herself. Her advice is something all of us women should follow: Be confident. Be brave. Speak up.
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