Christine Blasey Ford to give donations to charity for trauma survivors

Victoria Bekiempis
Updated

Psychologist who testified against Brett Kavanaugh announced her plan after using GoFundMe donations to cover security costs

Christine Blasey Ford and her family became the target of death threats after she testified that then-supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh tried to rape her.
Christine Blasey Ford and her family became the target of death threats after she testified that then-supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh tried to rape her. Photograph: Pool/Reuters

Dr Christine Blasey Ford, the California psychologist who accused the supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault before his confirmation, emphatically thanked supporters for an “outpouring” of donations in a new post that explained the shutdown of her GoFundMe page after raising nearly $650,000.

Ford and her family became the target of death threats, prompting the launch of a GoFundMe to cover their security costs, seeking $150,000, according to the fundraising page.

During testimony before the Senate judiciary committee in September, Ford accused the then supreme court nominee of trying to rape her at a high school party some 30 years ago. Ford claimed Kavanaugh groped and attempted to disrobe her – and that he covered her mouth to muffle her screams.

Kavanaugh denied the allegations, including in his own testimony shortly after Ford testified, and was ultimately confirmed in a 50 to 48 vote that largely fell along party lines – with Republicans supporting the Trump pick despite extensive opposition.

In a post to GoFundMe, Ford announced she was closing the page to donations, which totaled $647,610 from 13,969 people over a two-month period.

“Words are not adequate to thank all of you who supported me since I came forward to tell the Senate that I had been sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh. Your tremendous outpouring of support and kind letters have made it possible for us to cope with the immeasurable stress, particularly the disruption to our safety and privacy. Because of your support, I feel hopeful that our lives will return to normal,” Ford said.

Calling the GoFundMe money a “godsend”, Ford said the donations enabled her family “to protect ourselves against frightening threats, including physical protection and security for me and my family, and to enhance the security for our home”, as well as temporary housing.

The Fords have finally been able to “taper off” the security service they had hired on 19 September, Ford’s post said.

“With immense gratitude, I am closing this account to further contributions. All funds unused after completion of security expenditures will be donated to organizations that support trauma survivors,” Ford explained. “I am currently researching organizations where the funds can best be used. We will use this space to let you know when that process is complete.”

Ford also expressed optimism following the fallout from her Kavanaugh testimony, saying that “although coming forward was terrifying, and caused disruption to our lives, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to fulfill my civic duty”.

“Having done so, I am in awe of the many women and men who have written me to share similar life experiences, and now have bravely shared their experience with friends and family, many for the first time,” Ford wrote.