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“It’s a real mixed bag and a real mix of emotions about both the power of this moment and the pain,” said Jess Davidson, who leads the advocacy group End Rape on Campus and said she has heard from many survivors of sexual assault in recent days who are sharing their stories for the first time. “I don’t think there’s any way we walk away from the conversation that our country is having this week without seeing a shift.”

At the Our Voice rape crisis centre in Asheville, North Carolina, executive director Angelica Wind estimated a 15 per cent increase in calls from both survivors who were triggered by Ford’s testimony and loved ones seeking advice on how to best support victims they know.

Wind said if the national conversation in coming weeks is supportive of Ford, more people might come forward, encouraged by a case in which an accuser is believed. But if not, many won’t see the point in airing their stories.

“We’re at a crossroads. We can either move forward and do a cultural change where we send a message to survivors that we are here for you. We believe you. It wasn’t your fault and there are resources you can access,” she said. “Or we can move back to dismantle all the progress we have done.”

At TurnAround, which supports sexual assault victims in and around Baltimore, CEO Rosalyn Branson said a help line that typically gets two or three calls overnight got 11 on Thursday, specifically citing the Kavanaugh case. Some were people who had never told anyone of their assaults before.