Report: After Trump Tweet, People Share Unreported Sexual Assaults

 

This is What's Trending Today...

American President Donald Trump¹ has questioned the honesty of the woman who accused Supreme² Court nominee³ Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

The woman, Christine Blasey Ford⁴, says Kavanaugh attacked her at a house party in 1982. Both were in high school at the time. Kavanaugh has denied the accusations⁶, saying he never attacked Ford or any other woman.

Ford’s accusation⁵ -- and how it may affect Kavanaugh’s nomination⁷ -- has been a leading news story this week in the United States.

On Friday morning, Trump praised his Supreme Court nominee on Twitter. He also wrote, “If the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed” with police.

Trump continued, “I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!”

By Friday afternoon, people had posted more than 50,000 messages in answer to Trump’s tweet. Many noted⁸ some of their own reasons for not reporting attacks to police.

The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport exploded on social media. It soon became the top trending topic on Twitter.

Some described why they feared coming forward.

Others said they knew they would not be believed -- by the police, their community, or their family.

Some described being abused by members of their own family.

And some said they were too young at the time to know what to do.

RAINN is the largest American organization against sexual violence. Its website says 310 out of every 1,000 sexual attacks are reported to police.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had completed its confirmation⁹ hearings for nominee Brett Kavanaugh on September 7. Then, on September 12, the Intercept¹⁰ online news site reported about a letter that described how Kavanaugh had assaulted a woman in 1982.

Ford came forward as the writer of the letter on Monday.

Ford is a university professor in California. Her lawyers say she has received death threats since her name and story became public. She and her family have fled their California home.

Her lawyers say Ford is willing to answer questions in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, if her safety can be promised.

Committee chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, has announced a public hearing for Monday where both Ford and Kavanaugh can appear to tell their stories.

However, Ford’s lawyer, Debra Katz, answered that "Monday's date is not possible.” She added that the committee's request that it happen on that date is without reason.

Katz said Ford's "strong preference" is that "a full investigation¹¹" be completed before she testifies.

On Thursday night, the White House released a letter from Kavanaugh to Grassley in which he said he wants to tell his side in a Monday hearing.

"I will be there. I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible so that I can clear my name," he wrote.

Republican lawmakers are trying to win Senate confirmation for Kavanaugh ahead of the court's start of a new term on October 1.

And that's What's Trending Today.

I’m Caty Weaver¹².

Words in This Story

assault - n. a violent attack

file - v. to give (something, such as an official form or a legal document) to someone in authority so that it can be considered, dealt with, approved, etc.

willing - adj. not refusing to do something

afternoon - n. the middle part of the day

preference - n. a feeling of liking or wanting one person or thing more than another person or thing

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

6 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

7 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

10 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。