The accusers The claims of sexual misconduct

Christine Blasey Ford,

51, left, grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington DC, the daughter of “Bush conservatives”. She went to Holton-arms, a private girls’ prep school, where she was remembered as hard working and gregarious. She gained degrees, including a PHD, from four universities. Prof Ford is currently a research psychologist at Palo Alto University in California, where she trains graduates. The university said she is “passionate about her work and dedicated to her students”. She lives in California with her husband of 16 years, Russell Ford, and they have two sons.

Deborah Ramirez,

53, is originally from Connecticut, the daughter of a telephone lineman and a medical technician. She was accepted to Yale to study sociology and psychology. Ms Ramirez

alleged in New

Yorker magazine that she was a victim of sexual misconduct by Judge Kavanaugh in a university dorm, which he denies and says is part of a “coordinated effort to destroy my good name”. For the past 16 years she has lived in Boulder, Colorado, married to Vikram Shah, and works as healthcare coordinator. She is a Democrat.

Julie Swetnick,

55, is being represented by Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who represents Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Donald Trump. Ms Swetnick claims to have been the victim of a gang rape at a high school party at which Judge Kavanaugh was present. She also claims that she attended parties where he spiked drinks and aggressively targeted young women.

She worked as a web developer for US government. Mr Kavanaugh said: “I don’t know who this is and this never happened.”