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Believe Women

Hundreds of protesters rally in the Hart Senate Office Building while demonstrating against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill September 24th, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
According to Research

False Reports of Sexual Assault Are Rare. But Why Is There So Little Reliable Data About Them?

Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that false rape reports drastically exceed those of other crimes.

By Emily Moon
Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's office on September 27th, 2018, in New York, New York.
The Week in Photos

The Kavanaugh Allegations Rock the United States (in Photos)

The Supreme Court nominee's confirmation hearings touched a raw nerve for survivors of sexual violence.

By Emma Sarappo
A tear runs down the cheek of Representative Carolyn Malone (D-New York) as Christine Blasey Ford testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill on September 27th, 2018, in Washington, D.C. A professor at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Ford has accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during a party in 1982, when they were high school students in suburban Maryland.
Viewfinder

Viewfinder: Emotional Moments During Christine Blasey Ford's Testimony

A tear runs down the cheek of Representative Carolyn Malone (D-New York) as Christine Blasey Ford testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on September 27th, 2018.

By Pacific Standard Staff
Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on September 27th, 2018, in Washington, DC.
Key Takeaways

Kavanaugh Frequently Interrupted Female Senators on Thursday. That Doesn't Bode Well for His Supreme Court Conduct.

And other takeaways from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's Thursday hearing.

By Emily Moon
Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a sexual assault in 1982, testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on September 27th, 2018.
The (Short) PS Interview

There Are Best Practices for Interviewing Those Who Report Sex Crimes—and Thursday's Senate Hearing Followed None of Them

An expert on how to best investigate sex crimes responds to Christine Blasey Ford's testimony.

By Francie Diep
Protesters rally in front of the Supreme Court while demonstrating against the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the court on September 24th, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
According to Research

What the Research Says About (the Very Rare Phenomenon of) False Sexual Assault Allegations

Pacific Standard looks at the evidence about people who make false accusations of rape, and how to get the best information during sexual assault cases.

By Francie Diep
In protest against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, activists chant slogans outside the office of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on September 20th, 2018, at Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
According to Research

Science Says: Believe Women

Here's what the politicians and pundits are saying about Christine Blasey Ford's allegations—and what the research can tell us about the truth of their claims.

By Emily Moon