America's demonization project against me is complete

In the cancel culture era in the United States, the irony of displaying political correctness while vilifying someone is prominent. Cancel culture is devouring itself. Because I came forward about an elite politician three years ago, who now happens to be the president of the United States, I have been called a liar, whore, slut, accused of treason, and worse. My private parts and what I wore under my clothes when assaulted have been discussed publicly and my private life combed through by major media outlets. 

These ‘journalists’ kept looking under my bed for Russians and, when they found none, they made it up. I have been called a traitor because I have spoken positively about Russia. Someone sent me a picture of a mass grave, saying I should be in it. Others asked when I would commit suicide. Some taunted me, saying they would come kill my pets or me. Just words, only words (some too vile to repeat here), except when the attacks came into my real life and destroyed it, my work, my reputation, my security – then those words became like daggers. 

The celebrities and prominent journalists going after me don’t cease in their campaign against me, so incensed are they that I refuse to be silent. Like Edward Dovere, a senior CNN reporter, who on an almost monthly basis sends out tweets like these: 

Death threats, ugly emails, and threatening emails follow. Why is a leading CNN reporter allowed to come after a US citizen for being pro-peace? And for telling the truth?

No one at his organization will take action against him, and no establishment politician will denounce him, because this is how it works. America’s demonization of me is complete. They want to silence me, humiliate me and vilify me, so that no one will believe my words about what Joe Biden did to me. 

This villainization by the media and social media has happened to many others too, of course – female sexual assault victims like Rose McGowan and Juanita Broaddrick. But it also happens to those who don’t toe the correct line, or who expose America’s crimes, like Joe Rogan and Julian Assange. The list of the canceled in today’s America is becoming vast. 

There are real-world consequences that flow from these online witch burnings. One dark night in the late spring of 2020, after work, I was driving down a remote, country road in California.  An SUV started to tailgate me, then began to push my car from behind. I slowed down and took evasive action, thinking it was someone with road rage. 

My phone was dead. I swore at myself for not having charged it. The SUV sped around me with bright headlights on and continued. A few minutes later, it was back, only this time, it was in my lane – the wrong lane – speeding towards me. Trying not to panic, I went to the edge of my lane, but there was a steep ravine off the roadside, so I moved into the oncoming lane. The car moved with me, so I swerved back, and it followed my movement again with precision. In the last seconds before we smashed head-on, it swept around me so close that, with my window open, I could see the vehicles’ mirrors almost clash. It sped off. I went to a place to pull over and gathered myself. 

READ MORE: Tara Reade: The shaming of sexual assault whistleblowers has to stop

Soon afterwards, I received an email threatening me. The email address was fake and went to an expired website. I reported it to the authorities to no avail. To this day, I do not know if the two events were connected or not. Was this a targeted attempt to harm me by some attacker, or a chance encounter with a psycho stranger? On the heels of this came more threats on my life via phone and social media, the hacking of my email, and threats against my daughter. I moved out of state. 

I do not share all this to garner sympathy, as I need none. I have had an adventurous life that included years in acting and modeling from the age of 16. In my political life, I enjoyed many interesting situations, despite my negative experiences with Biden. My point is that, before this demonization campaign, I had already survived a great deal. I was beaten and almost strangled to death by my ex, and afterwards became an advocate for others. 

I trained with the Seattle police for victim support and became certified as a trainer with US Homeland Security for domestic violence prevention, and, later, as an expert witness.  I did dangerous work that put me in harm’s way. I learned to navigate safety planning. I learned how to disappear. I say this to emphasize that I had the training and skills to deal with difficult, dangerous situations like the ones I am now subjected to. Now, imagine the poor survivor who does not have these skills or my resilience?

Even I, however, underestimated the viciousness of the media cycle. When all the vitriol came at me, I knew these were all tactics to get my silence about what Joe Biden did to me when I worked as his Senate staffer. I have no doubt that the sustained attacks were fuelled by his resources and connections. I have been up against a vicious political machine. However, I stand on the strong shoulders of those brave women who came before me, like Rose McGowan and Juanita Broaddrick.  

READ MORE: An Italian showgirl, a US general, and the weaponization of sexual misconduct

I knew I had to create a psychological structure that would protect me so I could continue speaking the truth unfettered by the noise around me. Several people warned me this would all happen after I came forward. Rose McGowan, Anita Hill, Chris Wallace, and Megyn Kelly, to name just a few, warned me about the crazies and coordinated attacks that hound people at the center of a public discussion, especially one so politically fueled.  

Rose has gone through all of what I experienced and worse. Slowly, I built a support system around me that helped me cope with the journey. All the while, I knew I was politically inconvenient and expendable. I am just a normal, average citizen without access to expensive resources, but I have learned to face my fears and push past them. The demonization script employed against me only worked to a point, and I pushed back. 

The American landscape has become quite rough for any whistleblower or anyone with a dissenting opinion from the elites. As both parties weaponize sexual misconduct claims for their own use, it is imperative to continue to call out the hypocrisy of the American ruling class. 

For me, as a young Senate staffer, democracy died when a man I respected, who had power over me, would not accept no for an answer and took my body without my consent. And then destroyed my career because he could. In that moment, a determination ignited in me to continue fighting for the truth and the rights of women – the war is not nearly over.