The recent nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court was preceded by a highly controversial nomination hearing. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has come forward in an anonymous op-ed detailing the horrific assault she suffered when she was fifteen at the hands of seventeen-year-old Brett Kavanaugh. Reporters sought his identity and that is when Dr. Ford went public with his allegations and ultimately testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In her sworn testimony, Dr. Ford recounted the details of the assault and her fear of being accidentally killed. Her testimony was supplemented by details she shared during a 2012 therapy session and a recently administered polygraph exam. The therapy session was triggered by a disagreement she had with her husband over a request to open a double door in her home. It was then that she first recounted the details of her assault, believing that establishing alternative escape routes in her own home would help ease her worries. Traumatic events like sexual assault can develop into psychopathology long after the precipitating event has occurred and can continue to affect a person throughout their life. Dr. Ford presented a compelling account, in which she characterized her attacker as a heavy drinker, which was supported by friends and roommates familiar with Judge Kavanaugh's character at the time. However, with none of these individuals invited to testify, it was clear that the hearing was intended to create an appearance of due diligence rather than an honest assessment of Judge Kavanaugh's fitness to serve on the highest court. Dr. Ford's testimony was called into question because she did not specifically remember minute details of the night that had nothing to do with the assault. Dr Ford, a psychology professor and researcher, said: “Laughter is indelible in the hippocampus. The giggles between them and having fun at my expense” (1). We have studied in lectures that victims often do not remember all of the peripheral details surrounding the traumatic experience. Often the body can react this way before and after a stressor occurs. Many women and survivors shared their personal experiences of sexual trauma and how it affected them in their daily lives. Especially in the wake of the Me Too movement against sexual harassment and assault that has spread across social media. A number of celebrities died, and allegations of sexual misconduct were published and global society was forced to re-examine the culture that had enabled this behavior. Survivors spoke of how they found themselves reliving their traumatic experiences. Analogous to the classroom discussion around celebrities who have committed suicide, it correlated with an increase in suicides and calls to the suicide hotline. Media coverage of traumatic and triggering events appears to elicit a strong response from the public. Trauma is a risk factor for the development of psychopathology. We learned that women are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders and are more likely to be victims of childhood sexual abuse. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now...