Arizona congressional candidate reports delayed sexual assault claim

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 01:55 · Archive

Bernadette Greene-Placentia, the Democratic candidate in Arizona's 8th Congressional District, says she was sexually assaulted by two unknown men whilst fixing campaign signs in the West Valley in August. She told investigators she was hit in the back of the head near 99th Avenue and Bell Road in Sun City between 2 and 3 a.m. on 14 August, lost consciousness, and woke during the assault. She suffered injuries to her head and arm.

Greene-Placentia said fear, embarrassment and trauma prevented her from reporting the assault immediately. She told her husband two or three days later but initially had no intention of coming forward. 'I had no plans of coming forward. It was like, you know what? I'm just going to forget this happened. I'm just moving on,' she said. She reported the assault to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office about two weeks later.

She told investigators she showered multiple times and washed her clothes before being examined, steps she now regrets. 'In hindsight, I wish as soon as I'd crawled into my car, I had called the police and had them come to me and take me, you know, for a rape kit and collect my clothes for DNA,' she said. She has since disclosed the assault publicly, saying she hopes her story helps others in similar positions.

How it is being reported

• Arizona political candidate says fear delayed report of alleged sexual assaultBernadette Greene-Placentia says she’s sharing her story now in hopes that it could help others.Azfamily · 9 Oct, 01:18
• Arizona political candidate says fear delayed report of alleged sexual assaultBernadette Greene-Placentia says she’s sharing her story now in hopes that it could help others.KOLD · 9 Oct, 01:18

In this story: Bernadette Greene-Placentia · Arizona's 8th Congressional District · Sun City · Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem