Moey Newbold speaks to people who rallied at Bend City Hall under banners of "Believe Survivors," and "Time's Up."
Emily Cureton / OPB
About 100 people marched on Bend City Hall on Wednesday, and some shared tearful stories of sexual trauma. A few held signs with pictures of Christine Blasey-Ford that read, “We Believe.” Others had a portrait of City Councilor Nathan Boddie, his face obscured by the words: "Bend Deserves Better."
Boddie is a Democrat running for a seat in the Oregon Legislature. That's despite a colleague saying he groped her in a bar years ago.
The gathering carried echoes of the ongoing national discussion surrounding Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who Blasey-Ford has accused of assaulting her in the 1980s. Kavanaugh denies attacking Blasey-Ford.
After hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee over Blasey-Ford's sexual assault, many women spoke publicly about their own trauma.
Bend City Councilor Nathan Boddie did not show up for the Oct. 3 council meeting. Protesters rallied outside the meeting calling for the council to take action after Boddie was accused of unwanted touching.
Emily Cureton / OPB
Moey Newbold told the Bend crowd there's been an outpouring of pain since she publicly accused Boddie of grabbing her.
“But, what I was concerned about is the people that I heard from that had stories that were much much worse than mine," Newbold said to the gathered protesters. "Not about Nathan Boddie, but, survivors in general."
Boddie wasn't at Wednesday's council meeting. He has denied the allegations and attacked Newbold's character. Democrats have called for Boddie to drop out of the race for Bend's seat in the Oregon House, but he has refused.
Bend Mayor Casey Roats said the council will address the issue at its next meeting, whether or not Boddie shows up.