Victims of sexual violence, women and men included, are struggling to cope with the rapid pace of news that can provoke flashbacks to their own experiences, said Dr. Christine Nicholson, a clinical psychologist who works near Seattle.

Dr. Nicholson, who treats survivors of assault, said several of her clients had brought up the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh in their sessions. Their emotional responses to events of the #MeToo era vacillate between extreme anger and helplessness, she said.

“It’s a very difficult time,” she said. “I’m having people call me after hours where they’re just feeling meltdowns and a sense of hopelessness.”