Arizona Candidate Reports Rape Attack While Repairing Campaign Sign
Democratic congressional hopeful Bernadette Greene-Placentia says she was attacked in August, and has since reported the incident to authorities.
Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic candidate for Arizona's 8th Congressional District, has reported that she was raped over the summer while attempting to repair a campaign sign.
Greene-Placentia told the Phoenix New Times that the assault occurred around 2 a.m. on August 14 in a parking lot in Sun City, north of Phoenix. She stated that she was attacked and subdued before realizing she was being raped by an unknown assailant. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed to ABC News that a report was filed on August 31 and that an investigation is ongoing, but declined to provide further details.
A spokesperson for Greene-Placentia's campaign confirmed the incident and said that Greene-Placentia chose to speak publicly about the attack to support other survivors. "She is grateful for the support she has received from the community and asks that her privacy be respected as she continues to process what happened," the spokesperson said.
Greene-Placentia's campaign manager, Isaiah Lopez, told ABC News that she was absent for two days following the assault. Lopez recounted that Greene-Placentia appeared visibly distressed at a campaign event a few days after the alleged attack, and privately disclosed the incident to him and her communications manager. Greene-Placentia is running against Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh for the congressional seat.