Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school, on Thursday said she opened up about the incident to provide the facts about how US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee's actions damaged her life and it is up to the Senate to decide whether he deserves the post or not.
Ford on Thursday testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Kavanaugh's attack on her had left her "afraid and ashamed".
Kavanaugh has denied allegations by Ford, along with those of a number of other women. He is also due to testify before the committee.
The nine-member Supreme Court plays a vital role in US political life, as it has the final say on US law. President Trump has called the hearing an "important day in the history of our country".
The 51-year-old professor Ford spoke for the first time publicly after she made the allegation.
Ford detailed her allegation against Kavanuagh which was first made public less than two weeks ago in an interview with The Washington Post.
Her voice often cracked as she described both the incident, and how she dealt with its aftermath.
In her prepared testimony, Ford said: "I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school."
She alleged Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge had locked her in a bedroom during a small gathering at a house in a Washington DC suburb in the summer of 1982 when she was 15 and he was 17.
Both men were "drunkenly laughing", she said.
"Brett's assault on me drastically altered my life. For a very long time, I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details," she said.
"My motivation in coming forward was to provide the facts about how Kavanaugh's actions have damaged my life, so that you can take that into serious consideration as you make your decision about how to proceed. It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr. Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court. My responsibility is to tell the truth," she said.
"The sense of duty that motivated me to reach out confidentially to The Washington Post," she said.
Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, asked Christine Blasey Ford about her "strongest memory" from the alleged assault.
Ford said she remembers the "uproarious laughter" between Brett Kavanaugh and his friend Mark, who were "having fun at my expense."
Asked how she is sure it was Kavanaugh who assaulted her, Ford said: "The same way that I'm sure that I'm talking to you right now."
When asked if there is any chance she has mistakenly identified Kavanaugh, Ford said "absolutely not."
Instead of questioning Ford themselves, Republicans hired Rachel Mitchell, the Arizona sex crimes prosecutor, to question Ford.
The hearing marks a pivotal moment in what has become a raucous confirmation process. Kavnaugh's chances, once thought to be assured, have been thrust into uncertainty since Ford came forward. On Thursday, a number of senators who are thought to be critical to Kavanaugh's confirmation vote, have said they will be watching closely.
Trump himself, who has called all the allegations false, said Wednesday that he was open to Ford persuading him otherwise.
"I'm going to be watching, you know, believe it or not, I'm going to see what's said," Trump said. "It's possible that [Ford] will be convincing.
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