Access Now joins 80+ organizations in defense of sexual assault survivors

Access Now has joined Equality Now and more than 80 leading women and human’s rights groups to place a full-page ad in The Washington Post expressing collective concern about attacks on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford since her story of sexual assault was shared.

As organizations working for women’s and girls’ rights in the U.S. and globally, we know how difficult it is for victims of sexual assault to come forward given that they are often shamed and blamed by society and sometimes by the legal system itself. This is well exemplified by the thousands of people using the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport.

Collectively, we are deeply concerned about the attacks on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford after her story of sexual assault was shared. It takes great courage for any survivor to come forward, especially in public circumstances.

There can never be equality in a culture that normalizes or trivializes sexual assault and sexual harassment. By giving survivors the space to be heard we can change the status quo.

We remain committed to achieving equality in laws, policies and legal processes and to supporting survivors of sexual assault and harassment.

Now more than ever we must all work together to build a more equal world in which women and girls can be safe, fearless and free.

Access Now
AF3IRM LA
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Inc.
Alliance for Girls
American Association of University Women
American Constitution Society – Howard University School of Law Chapter
Amnesty International USA
Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project
Black Women’s Blueprint
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, American University Washington College of Law
Center for Reproductive Rights
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Commission on Gender Equity, New York City, Office of the Mayor
CONNECT NYC
Equality for HER
Equality Now
ERA Coalition
Everywoman Everywhere
Feminist Majority Foundation
FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture
Freedom, Inc.
Futures Without Violence
Gathering Strength
Girls for Gender Equity
Girls Inc.
Global Justice Center
Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women
HEART Women & Girls
Human Rights Institute, Columbia Law School
Human Rights Watch
Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence
Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative
International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination
International Service for Human Rights
International Women’s Initiative
Know Your IX
Law For Black Lives
Legal Momentum
Living In Freedom Together Inc.
MADRE
Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition
Mobilization for Justice, Inc.
Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable
Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative
Ms. Foundation for Women
Mujeres Unidas y Activas
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
National Crittenton
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women – New York
National Women’s Law Center
New York Women’s Foundation
NoVo Foundation
Oregon Abuse Advocates and Survivors in Service
Physicians for Human Rights
Promundo-US
Resonance Network
Rights4Girls
Sadie Nash Leadership Project
Sanctuary for Families
Santa Clara Law – International Human Rights Clinic
Sisterhood Is Global Institute
Smash Strategies
Survivors for Solutions
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Tewa Women United
The Feminist Press
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
The NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
The Voices and Faces Project
TIME’S UP
Turning Point for Women and Families
University of Miami School of Law, Human Rights Clinic
Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Vital Voices Global Partnership
West Pinellas National Organization for Women
Women & Justice Project
Women Enabled International
Women for Women International
Women of Color Network, Inc.
Women’s City Club of New York
Women’s March Global
Women’s Media Center
Women’s Refugee Commission
World Without Exploitation
YWCA USA