Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, has been threatened, harassed and forced out of her home and away from her children since coming forward, her lawyers said.

Rape and sexual assault survivors know severe backlash is often the ugly price they pay when accusing a powerful man of a crime, according to Laura Palumbo, communication director at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

Ford, who said Kavanaugh attempted to rape her at a party when they were in high school, is poised to testify Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her allegations.

Critics of Ford's story, including President Donald Trump, said the timing of the allegations is suspicious. Rumors have spread online that Ford might have been paid or motivated by Democrats. Former Florida Republican congressional candidate Gina Sosa suggested the alleged actions weren't predatory but typical high school boy behavior (which child psychologists refute).

A second woman, Deborah Ramirez, and a third, Julie Swetnick, also accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

Kavanaugh denied the women's accusations and will also testify before the Senate committee Thursday.

It's not uncommon for survivors to lose their job, endure verbal and physical harassment and damage to their property and worry about their safety, Palumbo said.

"It's not just something that affects their life in the short-term, it also affects their life in the long-term," Palumbo said.

When Olympic medalist Jamie Dantzscher reported being sexually assaulted hundreds of times by Larry Nassar, she was called an attention-seeking "whore."

Before she reported the abuse, Dantzscher knew people would question her story against a well-loved physician in the Olympic community. She said she believed she was the only victim.

"I literally thought no one would believe me," Dantzscher, 36, told USA TODAY in a phone interview.

Dantzscher decided to come out as a Jane Doe in September 2016 and filed a lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and Nassar. After an Indianapolis Star article revealed the first accusations against Nassar and reported on details of her lawsuit without naming her, friends and coaches outed her by name on social media and attacked her character in public comments.

"I didn’t know how bad it was going to be," she said. "It was shocking. It was hurtful."

More:Kavanaugh allegations: Is what someone does at age 17 relevant?

USA Gymnastics attorneys called Dantzscher's former boyfriends, asking about her sexual history. Dantzscher said she was concerned for her personal safety. She wondered if people who wanted to protect Nassar were "going to send somebody after me."

Dantzscher said she goes to therapy twice a week to cope with the trauma.

"It’s something I will struggle with the rest of my life," she said. "They stole my childhood. They stole my love for gymnastics."

She doesn't regret reporting Nassar's abuse. "I couldn’t live without saying anything," she said.

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Dantzscher inspired dozens of other Nassar victims to come forward with similar stories of the doctor who touched them inappropriately. Nassar was sentenced Jan. 24 to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing seven girls and listening to 156 victim statements.

The women who spoke out against producer Harvey Weinstein inspired Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, 82, to accuse media executive Leslie Moonves of assaulting her when they worked together in the 1980s, she said.

Moonves forced oral sex on her in his car and exposed himself to her in his office at Lorimar Productions, she said. When she refused his advances, she said, her career suffered. Golden-Gottlieb left the entertainment industry to become a teacher while Moonves rose to the head of CBS.

Then, amid the #MeToo movement, Golden-Gottlieb told her story.

More:Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford faces chorus of doubt, even after #MeToo

Golden-Gottlieb said there was some harassment, but most of the reaction she received was positive.

Moonves denied the accusations but stepped down as CBS chairman this month.

Some survivors regret coming forward because "in an age of digital communication, there’s no option to take back going public," Palumbo said.

Golden-Gottlieb's advice for other women: "If I can do it, I can let others know that it can be done, that you can go up against these unbelievably powerful men."

In her case, prosecutors declined to bring charges against Moonves because the statute of limitations had expired.

More:Were you sexually harassed, assaulted or raped at work? Here's what steps you can take

Actress Rose McGowan said she was “blacklisted” from jobs after coming out against Weinstein. Rebecca Corry said she received death threats after reporting fellow comedian Louis C.K.'s misconduct.

The trauma isn't limited to the survivor. It also affects loved ones.

"Survivors of sexual harassment, assault and abuse are also children, parents and siblings. … Those loved ones might also experience the bashing of their reputation," Palumbo said.

Palumbo cited Daisy Coleman's case for example. The 14-year-old from Missouri was thrust into the national spotlight after she accused a high school football player of rape. A felony assault charge against her alleged rapist, the grandson of a former state representative, was dismissed.

At least twice, suspicious fires were set at her home. Her family was harassed, and they decided to move out of the community.

"If you’re trying to design a traumatic experience that would really stick with a person, it’s hard to think of a worse one than sexual violence,” Seth Gillihan, who runs a clinical practice and researched post-traumatic stress disorder with the University of Pennsylvania, said in an interview last year. "It’s the most potent traumatic event in terms of leading to PTSD and long-term disruptions."

Contributing: Maureen Groppe

Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets