Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Arizona's 8th District, has publicly shared her experience of being raped while fixing a campaign sign, stating that her decision to speak out was driven by a sense of obligation to advocate for victims of sexual assault. Greene-Placentia told ABC News that she felt she would be a "hypocrite" if she did not fight for women who are survivors of sexual assault, especially while discussing issues such as veterans' affairs and Social Security with seniors on the campaign trail.
"I was talking to some seniors about fighting for reinstating and funding the [Veterans Administration] and fixing Social Security, actually addressing the issues," Greene-Placentia said. "It just crossed my mind at that point -- like, wow, I'm kind of being a hypocrite because I'm saying I'm going to fight for Arizonans. I'm going to fight for these folks, but I'm not fighting for women who've been victims of sexual assault, and that's just not how I was raised."
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. in August as Greene-Placentia was near a campaign sign in a parking lot north of Phoenix. She told Phoenix New Times that she was subdued and then realized she was being raped by an unknown assailant. She reported the assault to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, which confirmed to ABC News that a report was filed on Aug. 31 and an investigation is ongoing.
Greene-Placentia described the attack as potentially a "crime of opportunity," though she acknowledged that her face is visible on campaign signs. She said, "I'm pretty sure they knew who I was. Whether it was for political reasons or whatever, I mean, it was an attack on a woman, and no woman should be targeted, regardless of whether it's for political reasons or just because they're predators."
Greene-Placentia, a former truck driver, noted that she has extensive experience navigating the country and has learned to be self-aware. She explained that fixing signs at night was often more convenient, and while she usually traveled with others, she sometimes went alone. "I never heard [the attacker] coming," she said, adding, "And it's frustrating to me because I like to think I have pretty good situational awareness, but obviously when someone deliberately sneaking up on you, it's hard to defend yourself."
She reported little memory of the immediate aftermath or the following day, recalling only that a neighbor saw her standing in the driveway, appearing disoriented. Greene-Placentia initially did not disclose the assault to her campaign staff, waiting a few days before informing her husband.
Greene-Placentia stated her intention is to fight for her constituents, including survivors of sexual assault. "I want people to know that I'm going to stand up. I'm going to fight for you. I'm going to fight for everybody because -- I got into politics, I gave up a career I loved, because I felt like there weren't people like me, like the average American," she said. "Our voices were not being represented, and that's from the working class. That's from women that have been victims of sexual assault. That's our seniors, our veterans, our teachers, and they need to know that they have somebody that lives the same life they do, that has shared experiences, and will take that to D.C. and represent them fairly, transparently."
Reflecting on past judgments, Greene-Placentia admitted she used to question why victims did not come forward sooner, referencing the 2018 Kavanaugh hearings. "I am a little ashamed to admit that I was one of those people. You know, like during the Kavanaugh hearings, for example, I was like, 'Why did she wait so long? If he was out doing this to her, he's going to do it to somebody else.' But let me tell you, that is so hard to acknowledge to yourself that somebody took your power away from you, that they stripped you of your bodily autonomy, and you know overpowered you with physical strength, and you don't want to admit that."
She added that as a woman in a male-dominated industry, she felt a sense of personal failure. "I was a truck driver. I was tough. I was in a male-dominated industry as an owner-operator and built up a small fleet. You know, how could I let this happen to me? I didn't want anybody to know. I just wanted to move on, and I can certainly understand why women don't want to tell that their story or what happened. But I also realized that as long as I don't say anything, then they maintain what -- they took that from me, and I wanted to take it back. And speaking out and speaking up for other women -- that is me taking it back."
