Arizona congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia reports sexual assault
Arizona candidate reports sex assault in Sun City
A congressional candidate reported an August sexual assault in Sun City to deputies two weeks later. FOX 10's Megan Spector has complete coverage on the ongoing investigation.
PHOENIX - An Arizona congressional candidate says she was the victim of a sexual assault in Sun City. Bernadette Greene-Placentia says she was attacked and raped while fixing campaign signs.
Now, she is sharing her story to help other survivors, and local advocates say her decision could have a powerful ripple effect.
What we know:
Greene-Placentia is the Democratic congressional candidate for District 8, which covers north and west Phoenix suburbs. She is running against Republican Abe Hamadeh.
According to a report by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Greene-Placentia told deputies she was out fixing and putting up political signs in Sun City near 99th Avenue and Bell Road around 2 a.m. on Aug. 14.
What She's Saying:
She says two men hit her in the back of the head as she walked to her car, knocking her unconscious. When she woke up, she says the men were sexually assaulting her and holding her down.
She reported she had bruises on her body and a bump on the back of her head.
When asked about DNA, she told investigators she laundered her clothes, showered multiple times, and did not go to the hospital.
‘Wash it away’
What they're saying:
Advocates say washing away evidence is a very common trauma response.
"If this horrible, horrible thing has happened to us, one of the first things we want to do is wash it away. Both figuratively and literally," said Angela Rose, New Life Center program officer. "But it does make evidence collection and prosecution potentially more difficult."
Greene-Placentia reported the incident to law enforcement about two weeks after the alleged assault.
"I think in general sexual violence is one of the most underreported crimes," Rose said. "There is so much shame and embarrassment and fear involved with reporting."
In a public statement shared this week, Greene-Placentia stated in part: "Too many survivors carry these experiences silently. I am speaking out because I want them to know they are seen, they are heard, and they are not alone."
"As more survivors speak out, it’s really kind of a domino effect as that other people come to the point that they also want to speak out and take their lives back and understanding this was not their fault," Rose said.
Big picture view:
Greene-Placentia is running as a Democrat against Republican Abe Hamadeh in Congressional District 8, which covers a large portion of northwestern Arizona.
AZ candidate for Congress reports sex assault
Arizona congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia says two men attacked her while repairing campaign signs in western Arizona. MCSO is investigating.
AZ Senators React:
Both of Arizona's senators posted messages of support on social media.
Sen. Mark Kelly wrote, in part, "What happened is an outrage. It took real courage for her to speak publicly about something so painful."
Meanwhile, Sen. Ruben Gallego said, "We cannot tolerate political or sexual violence in any form. Those responsible must be held accountable."
What we don't know:
The statement did not identify the two suspects allegedly involved.
Dig deeper:
Officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office have confirmed that they are investigating the assault. However, they say they cannot comment publicly on the matter because it is an active investigation.
Map of where the assault allegedly occurred:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from a social media post made by Bernadette Greene-Placentia, Democratic candidate for Congressional District 8; social media posts from Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego; and the Maircopa County Sheriff's Office.