Christine Blasey Ford has said she “agonised daily” over the decision on whether to come forward to speak about sexual assault allegations against US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Ms Ford’s voice cracked as she spoke to the Senate Judiciary Committee, calling Mr Kavanaugh “the boy who sexually assaulted me”.

She said the alleged assault has been seared into her memory and has haunted her.

Christine Blasey Ford before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington
Christine Blasey Ford before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Ms Ford said Mr Kavanaugh barricaded her in a bedroom at a house party during high school and got on top of her and assaulted her.

She said that over the years, she convinced herself that because she was not raped, she should just pretend that it did not happen.

But when it became clear Mr Kavanaugh was likely to be named to the court, Ms Ford said she faced a difficult choice.

She said that she sent a letter detailing the allegations to Senator Dianne Feinstein but had planned not to come forward.

But the letter was leaked to the press and she then decided that she should speak out to tell her story in her own words.

Mr Kavanaugh has denied any allegations.

Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Kavanaugh (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Before Ms Ford began, committee chairman Chuck Grassley defended the Republicans’ handling of the confirmation proceedings so far.

He also apologised for the harsh treatment – which has included death threats – that both Ms Ford and Mr Kavanaugh have endured.

The committee’s top Democrat, Ms Feinstein, told Ms Ford: “I am very grateful to you for your strength and your bravery for coming forward. I know it’s hard.”

She criticised Republicans who have rejected Democratic demands to slow Mr Kavanaugh’s confirmation process and let the FBI investigate all the allegations, saying: “What I don’t understand is the rush to judgment.”

Mr Kavanaugh and Ms Ford were the only witnesses invited to give evidence before the panel of 11 Republicans – all men – and 10 Democrats.

But the conservative jurist is facing allegations of sexual misconduct from other women as well, forcing Republican leaders to struggle to keep support for him from eroding.

Mr Grassley complained that lawyers for other accusers have not provided information to his panel, and said: “The committee can’t do an investigation if attorneys are stonewalling.”

Chuck Grassley
Chuck Grassley (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

Republicans have derided Ms Ford’s allegation as part of a smear campaign and a Democratic plot to sink Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination.

But after more allegations emerged, some Republican senators have admitted that much is riding on his performance.

Even President Donald Trump, who nominated Mr Kavanaugh and fiercely defends him, said he was “open to changing my mind”.

“I want to watch, I want to see,” he said at a news conference Wednesday in New York.

Protesters gather in front of the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington
Protesters gather in Washington (Patrick Semansky/AP)

Mr Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge who has long been eyed for the Supreme Court, has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he had never heard of the latest accuser and calling her accusations “ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone”.

The hearing was the first time the country had seen 51-year-old Ms Ford beyond the grainy photo that has been flashed on television in the 10 days since she came forward with her contention.