Regardless of the outcome of the Kavanaugh investigation, a local psychotherapist says wall-to-wall coverage of the alleged sexual assault-- which at times can be exacerbated by social media-- can have an impact on survivors.
"Hearing people's stories can be really activating on their own trauma triggers. And it can catch people off-guard if they're hearing this information and they're not expecting it. So if they turn on the radio, and the radio is talking about a trauma that has happened," said psychotherapist Dina Denney, Crisis Counselor at Faces of Hope Victim Center in Boise.
For survivors of sexual assault who may be triggered by recent coverage, Boise's Faces of Hope is a short-term resource center that provides trauma counseling, medical services, and legal assistance-- all free-of-charge.
Denney also says stories like Ford's can help to lessen the shame attached with being a victim.
