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Guidance: Don't Refer To It As An 'Attempted Sexual Assault'

In a headline and at least one on-air reference we have said that Christine Blasey Ford accuses Brett Kavanaugh of "attempted sexual assault."

The word "attempted" does not belong there. What she alleges happened would be a sexual assault, not an attempt at one.

Where "attempted" could fit is in references to something Ford's attorney has said — that her client believes it was an "attempted rape."

Also, be sure to note that Ford is "accusing" or "alleging" that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her and be sure to note that Kavanaugh says he did not do what she alleges.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.