thank you and when I came forward last
September I did not feel courageous I
was simply doing my duty as a citizen
providing information to the Senate that
I believed would be relevant to the
Supreme Court nomination process
I thought anyone in my position of
course would do the same thing I had the
example of Anita Hill
I had the values instilled in me by my
parents and growing up in Washington DC
I had a responsibility to my country
to my fellow citizens to my students to
my children to live the values that I
tried to teach them I understood that
not everyone would welcome my
information and I was prepared for a
variety of outcomes including being
dismissed I was not prepared for the
venom the persistent attacks the
vilification the loss of personal
privacy and the collateral damage to my
friends and my family I was not prepared
to be physically threatened or to be
forced out of our home for over three
months I have learned a lot over the
past year I have learned that there is a
well-financed attack machine out there
ready to flood the internet and the
media anytime I raise my head and I know
it's not going to go away I've also
continued to learn that the ethical
promise of sexual assault survivors to
do no further harm is easily ignored by
journalists who selectively abstract
meaningless details that are twisted and
weaponized against me and although I
underestimated the pain I also
underestimated the love and the support
that I have received the loyalty of
individuals who are willing and ready to
stand up to the intense public scrutiny
on my behalf waiting for the Senate and
the FBI to interview them I am thankful
that sharing my experience prompted over
200,000 people from across our country
and around the world to send messages of
support many handwritten
sharing their own stories of assault and
abuse that's why it means so much to me
not just to be recognized by you tonight
but because I know that you will
continue the work of protecting sexual
assault survivors and preventing sexual
assault you will continue the work to
protect personal privacy and the rights
of citizens my voice was just one voice
you are many we are many and it's not
just survivors that we have to stand up
for it's all of those who come forward
to support our country