BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
A woman who said she was raped by a former state representative is preparing for the jury trial — and it has consumed her life.
Jane Doe, a previous legislative intern who said she was raped by former state representative Aaron von Ehlinger, was 19 years old when the alleged incident occurred in 2021. The lawmaker, then 38, took her out to dinner, Doe said, and then assaulted her in his apartment. The Idaho Press does not identify possible victims of sexual assault.
Von Ehlinger resigned from the Legislature before the full House could vote on whether to suspend him for the remainder of his term, following a unanimous House Ethics Committee recommendation. He later was charged with one felony count of rape and one felony count of forcible penetration by use of a foreign object.
Von Ehlinger has denied all wrongdoing and maintained he had consensual sexual contact with the woman. He has pleaded innocent to all charges.
According to the Associated Press, a nurse testified in a pre-trial hearing that she had performed a sexual assault medical exam on the intern, and a detective testified that he collected a DNA sample from von Ehlinger, prompting a judge to proceed with the trial.
Von Ehlinger’s jury trial is set for April 26 at 8:30 a.m. after a judge denied the defense’s motion to postpone on Monday.
Doe told the Idaho Press that in the months leading up to the trial, she has mostly shut herself away. She ignored calls and emails from friends, family and even her lawyers.
“This is consuming my life. It’s consuming every aspect of me,” Doe said. She added that her down days are the worst downs she has ever had.
Doe was “doxxed” by von Ehlinger’s supporters after Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, released the intern’s name and photo in a constituent newsletter and on her Facebook page. Giddings last year was censured and removed from one of her House assignments for ethics violations, including releasing the intern’s information.
Doe said one man even made her photo his Facebook profile picture.
After that experience, Doe said, she could not understand why some members of the Legislature would not support her.
“I’ve been invited to some of their houses. I was very friendly. They loved me. I was a friend to all. I was really sad to see that nobody cared when it happened. It seemed like I was kind of shunned,” she said. “I was the one that was being dragged, threatened and pushed away.”
The doxxing and upcoming trial has led Doe to largely shun socializing both in person and online. She has no social media, and she only uses Snapchat to privately communicate with close friends and family.
“I’ve been told I can’t even have my water bill in my own name,” Doe said, due to people being able to find or locate her residence.
Doe said she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder at an early age, and this only exacerbated it.
“Because all of this is so bad, it’s only triggering more symptoms,” she said. “My doctor prayed for me, and asked if I would go on an antidepressant. I’ve been on antidepressants for two weeks now, and I’ve never been on any pills before. But I can’t live this way. I can’t even take care of myself right now. It’s been a struggle.”
Through the process, Doe said she may want to pursue law school — she hopes her experience will be incorporated into her career path.
“My light at the end of this is that it’s not about me anymore,” Doe said. “It’s about the future of people walking into that Statehouse and how safe they’re going to be.”
During von Ehlinger’s ethics hearing, testimony revealed that he had romantically pursued at least three other women employed in the Statehouse during his service there, including one who was married and rejected his advances and another who said his overtures made her uncomfortable and frightened.
Doe said she decided to speak out because her family is from Idaho, and she wants to make the state a better place for her relatives going forward. If people will listen to her, she said, she wants to help others.
Doe said if someone is assaulted, that will weigh on their mind for the rest of their life — but she wants others to know that their healing process has nothing to do with an abuser.
“Your healing process has all to do with your mindset and your responsibility for your feelings, your validation of your feelings,” she said. “My advice is just keep going.”
Doe said she would like people to know she is not just words on a page.
“I am a real person,” she said. “I am human.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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