Lindsey Graham To Jewish Activist: Sorry About Your Rape, Call The Cops
Image by getty images
When an activist attending the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings into allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh approached Sen. Lindsey Graham with her own story of sexual assault during a recess, he reportedly waved her off.
“Senator Graham, I was raped 13 years ago,” Robyn Swerling told Graham, according to CNN.
“I’m so sorry,” Graham replied.
“I don’t remember the exact date, but do you believe me?” Swerling asked.
“You needed to go to the cops. Go to the cops.” Graham said.
Swerling, founder of Works in Progress, an organization that fights against sexual and gender-based harassment, tweeted about her experience with the South Carolina Republican.
That was me! @LindseyGrahamSC said he did not believe Dr. Ford because she couldn’t recall the exact date of the assault. I told him I was raped 13yrs ago but don’t know the date. So would he believe me?
He said “I’m sorry, but then you should go to the cops.”#BelieveSurvivors https://t.co/UERpDmvBU9
— Robyn Swirling (@RSwirling) September 27, 2018
Here’s video of my exchange with Senator Graham, courtesy of @CNN and @SuzanneMalveaux. If @LindseyGrahamSC wants to talk further, I’d love to chat about why “go to the cops” is a horrifically insensitive and dismissive thing to say to a rape survivor.https://t.co/ifDLOGDDzY
— Robyn Swirling (@RSwirling) September 27, 2018
Swerling is a Jewish activist and feminist. She published an essay Tuesday in HuffPost detailing her assault.
Today I felt powerful and strong as part of a beautiful Jewish contingent that confronted fascists while singing Olam Chesed Yibaneh (We will build this world with love).
I am tired and wet but my heart is full. DC showed up today. #ShutItDownDC #A12
— Robyn Swirling (@RSwirling) August 12, 2018
Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at fisher@forward.com, or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
