New Jersey's new first lady publicly joined the #MeToo movement Saturday in a dramatic speech before thousands at the Women's March on New Jersey.

Tammy Murphy, the wife of Gov. Phil Murphy, told the crowd on Morristown Green that she wanted to tell her story publicly for the first time to join with the growing number of women telling their own stories about sexual violence and harassment.

"Today I will add my voice to this growing chorus. Three decades ago, as a college sophomore, I was sexually assaulted," Murphy said, as the crowd hushed.

Murphy, who attended the University of Virginia as an undergraduate, said she was walking alone between two groups of friends on campus and had a choice of two paths. She chose the shorter path, which was in the shadows.

A man grabbed her and pulled her into the bushes, she said.

"I was thrown on my back, I had a man on top of me -- pulled my shirt up, pulled my skirt up and I started screaming," said Murphy, 52.

Though she could see people through a window at a party nearby, no one could hear her screams, Murphy said. When her assailant grabbed a crab apple from the ground and tried to put it in her mouth to silence her, she bit his hand.

Tammy Murphy, New Jersey's new first lady, tells her story of sexual assault to the crowd at the Women's March on New Jersey in Morristown on Saturday. (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

"I bit him as hard as I could," Murphy said.

She escaped to a nearby fraternity house, half clothed, where students called police, she said. Because of the "attitudes of the time," her assailant never faced justice. However, he was later convicted for another crime, Murphy said.

"Until today, only a few have heard my story," Murphy said. "Now, you all know. I tell this today not for me, but really for all of you. Surely, among us is a woman who has been silent about her own story."

She noted the findings of a recent NJ Advance Media story that showed reports of rapes on New Jersey campuses had risen in recent years. But, she said she doubted every college student who has been assaulted had reported the crime.

Murphy was cheered by the crowd at the Women's March, where she was one of the first speakers to address the rally after thousands marched to Morristown Green from the town hall.

She was introduced by her husband, who spoke about the equal pay for women executive order he signed in his first act as governor.

Phil and Tammy Murphy have been married for more than 20 years. They have four children.

Tammy Murphy grew up in Virginia and was the student vice president at the University of Virginia while she was an undergraduate. She went on to serve on the school's board of trustees.

She met her husband while both worked for Goldman Sachs.

The Women's March on New Jersey was one of hundreds of marches held across the country Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the women's marches that swept the country last year in the wake of President Donald Trump's election.

The New Jersey march and the other 2018 marches were focused on "Power to the Polls," an effort to boost turnout in the November election. But many of the speakers and signs at the marches also focused on the #MeToo movement and efforts to shine a light on sexual assault and harassment.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.