Christine Blasey Ford says testimony was 'simply' her duty as a citizen

In a rare public appearance Sunday night, Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were both teenagers, explained that she was just doing her duty in sharing her story.

At the event, Ford received the American Civil Liberty Union's Roger Baldwin Courage Award. According to a tweet from the ACLU, the award was given to recognize her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee during Kavanaugh's nomination process.

"When I came forward last September, I did not feel courageous. I was simply doing my duty as a citizen, providing information to the Senate that I believed would be relevant to the Supreme Court nomination process," Ford said to those in attendance at the event, according to tweets and videos from the event. "I thought anyone in my position, of course, would do the same thing."

ACLU SoCal called her testimony "a shining act of courage."

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In her speech, Ford cited Anita Hill as one of the factors that shaped her decision. "I had the example of Anita Hill. I had the values instilled in me by my parents and growing up in Washington D.C. I had a responsibility to my country, to my fellow citizens, to my students, to my children, to live the values that I try to teach them."

CBS Los Angeles reported that Ford's appearance at the event was a surprise, but her decision to accept the award was informed by the fact that Hill received the same distinction after testifying during Clarence Thomas' confirmation process.

During the speech, Ford also spoke of the difficulties she faced after her Senate testimony.

"I understood that not everyone would welcome my information, and I was prepared for a variety of outcomes, including being dismissed," she said.

Meanwhile, on Nov. 14, at an event for a conservative nonprofit in D.C., Kavanaugh gave his first major public speech since his confirmation last year. Outside of the venue, protestors projected a video of Ford's testimony.

At the event, Ford also referenced the broad-reaching impact of her testimony. "I'm thankful that sharing my experiences prompted over 200,000 people from across our country and around the world to send messages of support, many handwritten, sharing their own stories of assault and abuse," she explained.

"My voice was just one voice," Ford said in the speech. "You are many. We are many."

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Ford also voiced support for Marie Yovanovitch, the Former United States Ambassador to Ukraine, who testified on Friday at the second day of public impeachment hearings, according to a video from the Hill.

"The come forward to tell the truth, and to help our country," Ford said. "They might also be vilified, and they need to hear our voices of support also."