'Fuller House' Star Tells Her Sexual Assault Story

Jodie Sweetin is a survivor of sexual assault who never reported her experience. She explained this week that she didn't speak up because she feared facing the kind of judgment that Christine Blasey Ford has faced in the US Senate this week. Read on for details.

Via People.

Jodie Sweetin has opened about a sexual assault encounter.

On Thursday, in light of Christine Blasey Ford’s emotional testimony at the Supreme Court hearing, Sweetin spoke out in support about her own experience on Instagram.

Wearing a camouflage jacket with the words “What doesn’t kill you f—s you up mentally” written on the back, Sweetin explained to her followers why she supports and identifies with Ford.

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🎶 We saw the sign, 🎶 that they would be friends for a very long time! (📸: @marlasokoloff)

A post shared by Fuller House (@fullerhouse) on Sep 14, 2018 at 6:00pm PDT

“I stand with her. I AM her,” the Fuller House actress wrote. “I was the girl who never reported because I blamed myself. I was the woman who never reported because I didn’t want to go through the pain and ridicule.”

“What we saw today is about a much bigger issue of survivors of sexual assault being persecuted, judged and re-traumatized when they do come forward,” Sweetin, 36, continued. “We are told that if it were “real,” we would have reported it at the time. Often when we were merely children or young girls.”

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I stand with her. I AM her. I was the girl who never reported because I blamed myself. I was the woman who never reported because I didn’t want to go through the pain and ridicule. The same sort of pain that I witnessed Dr Christine Blasey Ford walk through today. What we saw today is about a much bigger issue of survivors of sexual assault being persecuted, judged and re-traumatized when they do come forward. We are told that if it were “real”, we would have reported it at the time. Often when we were merely children or young girls. Girls who were assaulted and then had “whore” written on lockers because rumors spread. Girls who were afraid of becoming a pariah in their social circles because they told the truth. It was easier to stay quiet. And as we grew older and it happened again, we had been trained to remain silent. We had learned the lesson that no one will believe us. That even if someone DOES, it holds no consequence. We had watched other women come forward, only to be told “there were no witnesses, so it’s your word against his”, knowing that “his” story is always more believed than “hers”. This isn’t about politics for me. This is about a panel of people brushing aside someone’s trauma. I will not sit still. I will not stay quiet. Although I may never be as brave or as unflinching in the face of such an inquisition as she was today, it has given me hope. That maybe, just maybe, female survivors of sexual assault may be heard. Even if our voice is barely above a whisper. #imwithher #listentoyourwomen #tellyourtruth #ihearyou

A post shared by Jodie Sweetin (@jodiesweetin) on Sep 27, 2018 at 5:05pm PDT

Giving examples of what these young girls have to endure if they do speak out, Sweetin — who is currently the mother of two daughters Zoie Laurel May, 10, and Beatrix Carlin, 8 — came to a simple conclusion: “It was easier to stay quiet.”

“As we grew older and it happened again, we had been trained to remain silent,” she continued. “We had learned the lesson that no one will believe us. That even if someone DOES, it holds no consequence. We had watched other women come forward, only to be told “there were no witnesses, so it’s your word against his, knowing that “his” story is always more believed than “hers”.”

She finished her post by encouraging others not to be dismissive of the courageous survivors, like Ford, who have spoken up and shared their stories. Sweetin also promised her followers that she would take action moving forward.

Get the rest of the story at People.

Do you admire Jodie for speaking up? Let us know in the comments below.