Ford’s testimony inspired some women to come out and tell their stories, including 35-year-old Candace Faber. She took to Twitter and accused Republican Washington state Sen. Joe Fain of raping her back in 2007.
Also: Is anyone else just fed up and ready to name names? Because I am!
— Candace Faber (@candacefaber) September 27, 2018
If it’s bad that Blasey Ford waited to raise this until Kavanaugh got to the highest levels of government, then maybe the rest of us shouldn’t sit on our secrets just crossing our fingers that they won’t come into more power.
— Candace Faber (@candacefaber) September 27, 2018
So okay, let’s do it. @senatorfain, you raped me the night I graduated from Georgetown in 2007. Then you had the audacity to ask me to support your campaign. I’ve been terrified of running into you since moving home and seeing your name everywhere.
I’m done being silent.
— Candace Faber (@candacefaber) September 27, 2018
She released a statement and said she was “inspired by Dr. Ford’s courage.” It reads in part:
That is why I chose to name my rapist on Twitter: Joe Fain. He currently serves as a Senator in the Washington State Legislature. I did this without professional legal counsel. It was a decision I made in the moment.
However, it feels like a decision I have been building up to for a long time. Over the past several years, I have spoken with many people and written publicly about the details of my sexual assault.
Until recently, I withheld my rapist’s name, even in private conversations. I hoped that I could help change the culture of sexual assault without needing to say his name. I no longer believe that to be the case. We cannot heal without accountability.
Like Dr. Ford, I can no longer remain silent knowing that the man who raped me is in a position to influence the laws that govern my state and impact every woman who lives here. I do not believe that survivors have a civic duty to speak out. I believe that we have a civic duty to believe survivors.
Throughout our history, women who have spoken up about sexual assault have been threatened, defamed, gaslighted, had their character and sanity called into question, and been blocked from opportunities. It is time for that to change.
I recognize the importance of this story for our state’s politics and the importance of this moment in time for our national culture. I will have more to say about this in the coming days.
Thank you to everyone who has shown support to me and to other survivors today.
Fain has responded. He said he “absolutely” denies the allegation and called for an investigation on the matter.
“I absolutely deny what Ms. Faber is accusing me of,” Fain said. “Any allegation of this serious nature deserves to be heard and investigated for all parties involved. I invite and will cooperate with any inquiry. I ask everyone to show respect to Ms. Faber and to the process.”
I only expect more of these types of accusations to surface. It’s just SO SUCKY for the real victims of sexual assault. The #MeToo movement has muddied the waters and is forcing us to question everyone and everything. It’s so important to remember that an accusation alone does NOT make a person guilty. I can’t even believe we need to be reminded of that.
h/t Fox News