Sexual Assault Survivors Confront Jeff Flake: 'That's What Happened to Me, That's What You're Telling All Women in America' [UPDATE]

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake was confronted by a group of women after he said he would vote to support the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee who has been accused of sexual assault by three women.

“I was sexually assaulted and nobody believed me,” says a woman off camera.

She continued:

You’re telling all women that they don’t matter, that they should just stay quiet because if they tell you what happened to them, you’re going to ignore them. That’s what happened to me, and that’s what you’re telling all women in America. That they don’t matter, that they should just keep it to themselves because if they had told the truth they’re just gonna help that man to power anyway.

Her voice breaks and she starts to cry. “That’s what you’re telling all of these women. That’s what you’re telling me right now.”

Jeff Flake, cowed, looked at his feet and said nothing.

Update, 11:43: One of the women has been identified as Ana Maria Archila, co-Executive Director of the Center for Popular Democracy and the Center for Popular Democracy Action.

She released the following statement:

Earlier this week, I shared my survivor story for the first time in front of Senator Jeff Flake’s office and I know that I am not alone. Survivors from Arizona and across the country have been flooding his office with their stories. By announcing he will vote “yes” on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, Flake showed us that he does not care about our truths and does not care about women. He claims to support civility, but has proven today that he would rather ignore women’s stories and support a disrespectful sexual abuser than stick to his values.

Update, 2:56: The woman yelling at Flake off camera about her sexual assault has been identified as Maria Gallagher. Gallagher told the Daily Beast this was the first time she has ever told anyone about her assault.