Victims are coming forward on Twitter with the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport to list reasons why they didn’t go to the police immediately after they were sexually assaulted or raped.
This comes as a response to President Trump’s recent tweet address accusations directed toward his pick for the Supreme Court.
He tweeted: "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"
Trump's change in tone came as Christine Blasey Ford's lawyers negotiated with the Senate Judiciary Committee on the terms for her possible testimony next week in a dramatic showdown over her accusation that threatens Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.
Following Trump's tweet many sexual assault and rape victims addressed a wide array of reasons why they chose silence instead of reporting to the authorities.
Many victims said that at the time they felt that assault or rape was their fault, that they allowed it to happen and that they were to blame.
Or when they tried to tell the people closest to them, they were told to dismiss it because they were just going to cause trouble.
Some explained they didn’t want to be probed for more answers to questions that would force them to relive their traumatic experiences.
Others said they were afraid that no one would believe them if they chose to report it to the police because the attacker could have been a person that was held in high regard and wielded more power in society.
Some didn’t want anyone to find out because of the humiliation they felt and just wanted to forget about what happened to avoid the painful memories.
Contributing: The Associated Press
