Letter: Stand Up for Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

As a psychotherapist treating child sexual abuse survivors, I am concerned about the impact on survivors of an attack ad Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has directed at his opponent, Dr. Amy Acton. I am also concerned about the ad's contribution to the coarsening of public discourse. Ramaswamy describes Acton as a liar and "complainer" about her history of surviving child sexual abuse, accusations amplified by JD Vance and Donald Trump. The attack is neither morally acceptable nor factually correct. Acton was raped by her stepfather between ages 9 and 12, as documented by court records. The Ramaswamy campaign found Acton's long-estranged mother and used her in the ad. Attack ads that cover policy positions, voting records, and criminal indictments of the opponent are fair game. Attack ads that weaponize the trauma of child sexual abuse have always been off-limits. To join in the bipartisan demand that the ad be taken down and an apology issued, visit Ramaswamy's campaign website and scroll down to the Contact Us button.