I tend to agree your theory if feasible.
My theory, prompted by yours, is that Ford has taken the virtue-signaling Girl Power p**** hat wearing women’s marching mentality to the next illogical step: coming up with a completely imaginary event but one that ticks all the boxes and has therefore cemented itself as real to her. People around her are currently enabling this delusion by telling her she’s brave etc.
It’s been said many times but victimhood is the ultimate aim of any lefty. It offers the chance for praise, a narcissistic sense of being unique, etc. The flood of so-called transgender people follows a similar pattern. Normal peaks and valleys of life including the very real chance of being liked or unliked is too threatening to the weak-minded. So they come up with a special set of circumstances with the aim of receiving a form of amnesty in terms of the way other people treat or view them.
I have said many times that many on the left aspire to victimhood as their ultimate status, just as you said. Not all of them, not any, but many.