People are rallying around Christine Blasey Ford and have donated more than $100,000 to a GoFundMe campaign aimed at helping her cover the costs of private security after it was reported she had been receiving death threats.
Ford accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of committing sexual and physical assault more than 30 years ago while they were both at a party during their high school years. Since going public with her accusation on Sunday, according to aletter sent Tuesday to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley from her lawyers, Ford has been forced to flee her home, sending her and her family into hiding.
"She has been the target of vicious harassment and even death threats. As a result of these kind of threats, her family was forced to relocate out of their home. Her email has been hacked, and she has been impersonated online," the letter said.
The GoFundMe campaign was started by Georgetown Law Professor Heidi Li Feldman on Tuesday, and according to its online description, is "to do just a bit to make it easier for women in her position to come forward despite great risks."
Feldman told CNN that when she heard the news about the death threats being levied against Ford, it "unfortunately" didn't surprise her, and thought "wouldn't it be great if we could just be her body guards?"
"Then I just thought, wait a minute, we don't have to do that, maybe we can help her pay for professional security," Feldman said Wednesday in a phone interview.
Feldman said that "it was very quickly apparent" that several people shared her sentiment.
Not only would someone in Ford's position need physical protection, Feldman explained, "but that collective action in providing that to her was part of a commitment to a fair political process, with regards to vetting a Supreme Court nominee."
Feldman said she has been in touch with one of Ford's official representatives and is working on the logistics of getting the funds to Ford.
"I think one of the really amazing things about this is that it's very organic," Feldman said.
Feldman's account isn't the only financial support Ford has seen -- another GoFundMe page that says it is sponsored by Ford's neighbors and colleagues has raised close to $30,000 of the $50,000 goal. Additionally, a neighbor of Ford's, Kristen Podulka, has started a #ThankYouCardsForChristine campaign.
