Sexual Assault Survivors to Sen. Manchin in New Letter: ‘By Not Publicly Opposing Kavanaugh You Are Complicit in Perpetuating Abuse of Women, and Give Cover to Republicans’
CONTACT: Yasmina Dardari | (407) 922-8149 | yasmina@unbendablemedia.com
Sexual Assault Survivors to Sen. Manchin in New Letter: ‘By Not Publicly Opposing Kavanaugh You Are Complicit in Perpetuating Abuse of Women, and Give Cover to Republicans’
Senator Joe Manchin Is One of Only a Few Democrats in the Senate Who Haven’t Said Publicly That They Will Oppose Kavanaugh’s Confirmation
WEST VIRGINIA— Survivors of sexual assault and members of UltraViolet Action, a leading national women’s group, have signed onto a new letter to Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), demanding he publicly commit to rejecting Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. The letters comes on the heels of Christine Blasey Ford’s and Brett Kavanaugh’s testimonies before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday and rumors that Senator Manchin will be voting in favor of Kavanaugh.
UltraViolet also sent a survivor letter to Senator Donnelly’s office. The Senators are among only a few Democrats in the Senate who haven’t said publicly that they will oppose Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
The letter reads:
Dear Senator Joe Manchin,
We write as survivors of sexual assault urging you to publicly commit to rejecting Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
We believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. We believe Deborah Ramirez. We believe Julie Swetnick. We believe survivors.
In the past two weeks, Dr. Blasey Ford and Ramirez bravely spoke up about being sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh, and yesterday Dr. Blasey Ford was questioned and attacked by Senate Republicans.
Senator, your continued silence is allowing these Republicans to continue their mistreatment of survivors of sexual violence. Enough is enough.
Kavanaugh should be disqualified from holding any office in government, let alone the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh’s history of sexual assault confirms he has neither the character nor the integrity to be a Supreme Court justice. It also confirms his harmful disregard for the rights of people, particularly women. Violence against women is an epidemic in this country: 1 in 3 women have been sexually assaulted, and nearly one-third of women in the United States have experienced domestic and dating violence. We ask that you publicly oppose Kavanaugh and call for him to withdraw his nomination.
Kavanaugh already poses a threat to millions of people, especially women, Indigenous people, LGBTQ people, and poor people–the very communities that consistently endure sexual violence at unspeakably high rates. Kavanaugh’s record shows the repeated dismissal of people’s rights to health care access, reproductive care, and workplace justice–all crucial to the prevention of sexual violence and to adequately supporting survivors of such violence.
We urge you to side with survivors and women and prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Sincerely,
Myrna F., Morgantown, WV
Esther L., Huntington, WV
Rhonda M., Charleston, WV
Carole W., Morgantown, WV
Cindy Q.,New Martinsville, WV
Vivien S., Saint Albans, WV
Melody F., Martinsburg, WV
Nancy M., Charles Town, WV
READ THE LETTER HERE: https://d2486uwqr5x79k.cloudfr
Shaunna Thomas, Executive Director of UltraViolet Action, explains:
“In the past two weeks, Dr. Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez ,and Julie Swetnick, have bravely spoke up about sexual abuse by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. These women have risked their physical and emotional safety to save the country from having a sexual predator sit on the highest bench in the land. But for Senator Joe Manchin, overwhelming testimony of sexual abuse from these women isn’t enough. Manchin’s silence on Kavanaugh, sends the message that he doesn’t care about survivors or sexual violence.”
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UltraViolet Action is an online community of over 1,000,000 women and men who take collective action to expose and fight sexism in the public sector, private sector and the media. Find out more at WeAreUltraViolet.org.