'I believe': Minn. rallies support sexual violence victims

As Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh gave dueling testimonies on whether the judge sexually assaulted the professor at a party when they were in high school, hundreds of Minnesotans rallied on behalf of sexual violence victims with a singular message: We believe you.

"We believe women when they share their stories. Women don't make things like this up," said Alicia Donahue, co-founder of Women's March Minnesota, who attended a rally outside Sen. Amy Klobuchar's office.

Nearly 100 people gathered outside the Democratic senator's Minneapolis office, lining the downtown sidewalk and carrying signs reading, "Believe women" and "I Believe Christine." And in Hopkins, more than 200 students at Hopkins High School staged a sit-in Thursday morning to protest what they describe as the silencing of victims of sexual violence.

Hopkins High School senior Jessica Melnik, who helped organize the sit-in, said it wasn't meant to be political. But she said

the students who participated are outraged by the message some lawmakers are sending surrounding the allegations against Kavanaugh.

"They're saying 'boys will be boys,' and things teenage boys do to teenage girls don't matter later in life, people make mistakes, things happen and that our experiences as victims of sexual violence, whether it be harassment assault or rape don't matter," Melnik said.

Kavanaugh strongly denied Ford's allegations and those from other women alleging sexual misconduct by the judge.

Melnik said she hopes the sit-in can lead to more conversations and resources in schools for people under the age of 18 to report and help prevent instances of sexual violence.

"A lot of times it is hard for students to find resources on who to contact or who to report to in high school," Melnik said.

She noted there are often more resources for victims on college campuses than in high schools.

"I think we should take a more proactive approach instead of a reactive approach," Melnik said.

Hopkins Public Schools didn't return MPR News' request for comment Thursday afternoon.

In Minneapolis, stories of 'immobilizing' assaults

The Minneapolis rally had a twofold purpose, said Donahue, a registered social worker and a sexual assault survivor.

"A big part of why we're here today is to hold a safe space for women and allies to share their stories, and to take ownership of that," she said. "We're here also to ensure that Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Tina Smith know that we're paying attention to their vote."

The rally began with a moment of silence to commemorate the silence sexual assault victims endure. Then, one by one, women from the crowd stepped onto a low wall. Some told their stories, others called on men to speak up and ally with sexual assault victims.

Laura Stearns Adams is one of the women who shared her story. Adams said she survived rape and kept quiet about it for decades.

"I really understand what that fear and shame is like and how immobilizing it is," she said.

Adams said Ford's testimony was brave and incredibly difficult.

"Because the body remembers the trauma, even if the brain forgets the little details," she said. "So [Ford] sitting on the stand today ... her body was reacting with terror and fear."

When cars passing by the rally honked in support, the supporters held their signs up and cheered.

Standing on the low wall where people gathered, Adams pointed to the road behind them.

"You know, a lot of those cars that drove by, the ones that honked?" she said. "Most of them were men."

MPR News intern Precious Fondren contributed reporting.