The real problem is that the way that power is given out in our society pits us against each other.

Most women who are harassed don't come forward, they don't complain because they're skeptical of the process, or they don't think anything is going to come of it if they are found to have been harassed. We know from some very public cases that sexual assault isn't always punished even by the courts in the way that they should be. So, we have got to figure out, how are we going to embed women's experiences in the processes, so that they trust the processes, that there are fair investigations that get to the truth, and then there is appropriate punishment when abuse occurs?

In July of 1983, I left Washington, DC area and have had minimal contact with Judge Clarence Thomas since

we need to turn the question around to look at the harasser, not the target. We need to be sure that we can go out and look anyone who is a victim of harassment in the eye and say, 'You do not have to remain silent anymore.

The real problem is that the way that power is given out in our society pits us against each other.

For my undergraduate work, I went to Oklahoma State University and graduated from there in 1977

I think, though, as African-American women, we are always trained to value our community even at the expense of ourselves, and so we attempt to protect the African-American community.