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Arizona congressional candidate says she was raped while repairing campaign sign
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic congressional candidate in Arizona, reported being raped in a car park while repairing campaign signs late at night on 14 August in Sun City, a Phoenix suburb.
- She initially did not report the attack to police, filing a report with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office two weeks later; the investigation is currently ongoing.
- Greene-Placentia expressed feelings of embarrassment and hesitation but decided to speak out to support other victims of sexual assault and align with her campaign focus on fighting for Arizonans.
- Her Republican opponent, Abraham Hamadeh, called for a thorough investigation, including reviewing camera footage, emphasizing that no American should be a victim of crime in their community.
- Greene-Placentia did not seek medical attention or a sexual assault examination after the attack and is concerned the allegations might be perceived as a political stunt or overshadow her campaign messaging on affordability.
