Demonstrators march to Supreme Court in protest of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Oct. 4. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court on Saturday, Oct. 6 with a 50 to 48 vote, amid sexual assault allegations from three women.
The process has ensued many protests and started conversations across the world. News outlets such as BBC, The Indian Express, South China Morning Post and others have picked up the story as well as other major news outlets within the U.S.
Even after confirmation protests have continued and petitions for impeachment have begun.
Protests in North Carolina, D.C., Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Georgia and many more occurred on Oct. 6, according to We Are UltraViolet website that was viewed by 6,200 thousand people.
At the time of Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote, a group of protestors began to gather on the doorstep of the Supreme Court court – banging on its doors.
Capitol Police said 14 people were arrested for protests in the Senate Gallery, 13 during the vote and one a short time earlier.
“Police forcibly removed the protesters, with one person dragged out by their arms and legs. They kept screaming as they were pulled into the hallway,” according to Ralph Ellis with CNN.
With allegations including “drugging and raping” girls at parties, made by Julie Swetnick, it’s no surprise that citizens have been outspoken in their efforts to deter the senate from confirming Kavanaugh into the Supreme Court.
“I have a firm recollection of seeing boys lined up outside rooms at many of these parties waiting for their ‘turn’ with a girl inside the room,” Swetnick, 55, said in an affidavit released by her lawyer, Michael Avenatti. “These boys included Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh,” she added. Judge was a high school classmate of Kavanaugh.
During accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony on Thursday the Rape, Assault and Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline spiked 201% compared with a typical day, said spokeswoman Sara McGovern.
Infographic by Alex Smith
Other national news involving sexual assault, such as Harvey Weinstein and the #metoo movement, have caused a 46% overall increase to calls.
Following the hearing, “there was a 57% uptick in calls to the national assault hotline from Friday to Sunday compared to an average Friday to Sunday” said McGovern.
To bring this home, students want to feel safe. Going to college shouldn’t mean putting yourself in danger or lessening quality of life. However, statistics prove that students on college campuses are at a higher risk for sexual assault.
Male college-age students (18-24) are 78% more likely than non-students of the same age to be a victim of rape or sexual assault.
But here at UNC Pembroke, there is good news.
Reports for rape, fondling, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking have gone down overall from 2016 according to the 2018 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. No reports were made and/or included for off-campus and public properties.
While this is a great thing, it is important to remember that of college-age female students only 20% report.
To put that in perspective, only 310 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to police.
If you or someone you know was sexual assaulted, please reach out to Campus Police at 910.521.6235 or the Sexual Assault Advocate Erin Nored by email at erin.nored@uncp.edu.
For someone to talk to and support please visit CAPS in Brave Health or call 910.521.6202.
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