Thank you, Joy-Ann Reid, for reading Deborah Ramirez's statement on the air this morning. And to Deborah Ramirez: We. Hear. You.
Thirty-five years ago, the other students in the room chose to laugh and look the other way as sexual violence was perpetrated on me by Brett Kavanaugh. As I watch many
of the Senators speak and vote on the floor of the Senate I feel like I'm right back at
Yale where half the room is laughing and looking the other way. Only this time, instead
of drunk college kids, it is US Senators who are deliberately ignoring his behavior. This
is how victims are isolated and silenced.But I do have corroborating witnesses speaking for me, although they were not allowed
to speak to the FBI, and I feel extremely grateful for them and for the overwhelming
amount of support that I have received and continue to receive during this extremely
difficult and painful time. There may be people with power who are looking the other
way, but there are millions more who are standing together, speaking up about personal
experiences of sexual violence and taking action to support survivors. This is truly a
collective moment of survivors and allies standing together.Thank you for hearing me, seeing me and believing me. I am grateful for each and
every one of you. We will not be silenced.We stand in truth and light,
Debbie Ramirez
