Paula Scanlan Shares a Testimony in Congress About Being a Sexual Assault Survivor and Sharing a Locker Room with Lia Thomas

SCANLAN One might ask ░░░░░░░░ do I speak so ░░░░░░░░ about issues that seem ░░░░░░░░ or some may perceive ░░░░░░░░ only impacting a small ░░░░░░░░ of women This is ░░░░░░░░ hypothetical This is real ░░░░░░░░ know women who have ░░░░░░░░ roster spots and spots ░░░░░░░░ the podium I know ░░░░░░░░ women with sexual trauma ░░░░░░░░ are adversely impacted by ░░░░░░░░ biological males in their ░░░░░░░░ room without their consent ░░░░░░░░ know this because I ░░░░░░░░ one of these women ░░░░░░░░ was sexually assaulted on ░░░░░░░░ 3rd of 2016 I ░░░░░░░░ only 16 years old ░░░░░░░░ was able to forgive ░░░░░░░░ attacker but violence against ░░░░░░░░ still exists Let us ░░░░░░░░ forget the viral Me ░░░░░░░░ movement that empowered female ░░░░░░░░ to speak up and ░░░░░░░░ a spotlight on the ░░░░░░░░ prevalence of sexual assault ░░░░░░░░ abuse including in scholarly ░░░░░░░░ educational institutions Individuals on ░░░░░░░░ committee have previously stated ░░░░░░░░ against women is all ░░░░░░░░ common I am grateful ░░░░░░░░ those members who brought ░░░░░░░░ to the violence against ░░░░░░░░ in the past but ░░░░░░░░ there s still much ░░░░░░░░ be done As a ░░░░░░░░ assault survivor many policies ░░░░░░░░ today completely ignore my ░░░░░░░░ and many women like ░░░░░░░░ I ask the members ░░░░░░░░ this committee please consider ░░░░░░░░ issue outside the lens ░░░░░░░░ political affiliations and understand ░░░░░░░░ true impact and ignoring ░░░░░░░░ realities of womanhood Future ░░░░░░░░ depend on us Thank ░░░░░░░░ for the opportunity to ░░░░░░░░ here today.”