Well, here is my thought on that: I would argue that Dr. Ford risks very little. She is apparently a political liberal/progressive who teaches at a University and lives in an area located in area which is the most politically left-wing enclave (the California Bay Area) in the most politically left-wing state in the Union. She lives and teaches amongst political friends and allies. It is not as if she lives and teaches in some deeply-conservative area in a deeply-conservative state where her social and professional life in that area will be forever ruined by her coming forward.
Unless she flat out admits that she made her whole story up while testifying, or it is proven by additional clear and convincing evidence that she was lying about the events, she will continue to be believed and will almost without a doubt be lauded as a hero by the political left. But even if a hundred holes are poked through her story and the Senate confirms Kavanaugh, I think it is unlikely that her reputation will be very much sullied. After all, Anita Hill is still lauded as a hero by the left and her accusations against Judge Clarence Thomas continue to be believed along partisan lines in spite of her many testimony's inconsistencies and outright false testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
I mean, perhaps I am mistaken, but what precisely does she risk here? The hatred, scorn and obloquy of people who are already her political opponents and who have no power over her? If she is believed (and if, indeed, what she is saying is true) she will be a hero who managed to take down an attempted-rapist from sitting on the Supreme Court. If she is not believed, she will be a heroic martyr who spoke truth to power but the patriarchal establishment refused to believe her and instead rallied to defend their own. Either way, I imagine offers for documentary and book deals will be waiting in the future for her.
