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An Arizona congressional candidate says she was raped over the summer while she was repairing broken campaign signs.
Democratic candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia detailed the alleged August 14 incident to the Phoenix New Times, saying that after 2 a.m. that morning, when she walked across a parking lot to fix a campaign sign, she was struck in the head and blacked out near the sign.
She awoke to a man she didn’t recognize sexually assaulting her, before another man appeared, the news outlet reported. The other man allegedly pushed her leg further apart from the other, prompting her to swing her foot at him in response, Greene-Placentia recalled.
He told her, “not even worth it,” according to her account.
Greene-Placentia said the men ultimately left the parking lot as she was face down on the ground following the assault, which left her with several bruises, according to the Phoenix New Times.
Afterward, she reported the alleged rape to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, saying it happened in Sun City, according to a sheriff’s report viewed by the outlet.
She told the news outlet she “wanted to forget it,” and was “embarrassed,” but ultimately decided to alert authorities.
The sheriff’s report notes that Greene-Placentia couldn’t remember exactly what the men looked like, but that they were possibly white, including one who wore black boots, according to 12News.
“It’s just these little tiny flashes of things that I do remember,” Greene-Placentia told the Phoenix New Times. “As much as I don’t want to remember, I’ve tried very, very hard to remember more stuff. But that’s where I’m at.”
A Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told the Guardian that the agency is continuing to investigate the incident. They declined to provide a comment to the outlet.
In a statement to the news outlet, a campaign spokesperson for Greene-Placentia said “Speaking publicly about what happened has been incredibly difficult for Bernadette.”
“She chose to share her story because she knows many survivors struggle in silence, and she hopes that by speaking about her experience, others will know they are not alone,” the spokesperson added.
Greene-Placentia is challenging Republican congressman Abe Hamadeh, who represents Arizona’s Congressional District 8.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
