Arizona Candidate Says She Was Raped While Repairing Campaign Signs
Democrat Bernadette Greene-Placentia reported the alleged attack occurred in August but delayed reporting it to police.
Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Arizona, stated that she was raped in a parking lot while repairing campaign signs late at night on August 14. Greene-Placentia told the Phoenix New Times that she was knocked unconscious during the alleged attack in Sun City, a suburb of Phoenix, and awoke to find a man on top of her.
She filed a report with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office two weeks after the incident. Her Republican opponent, Abraham Hamadeh, called for a thorough investigation into the allegations, including a review of any available camera footage.
Greene-Placentia told the Phoenix New Times that she initially felt embarrassed and wanted to move past the event, but decided to speak out to support other victims of sexual assault. She said she often campaigns on fighting for Arizonans and felt she could not continue doing so if she did not also stand up for victims of sexual assault.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed the investigation is ongoing. A spokesman for the office declined to comment further.
Following the alleged attack, Greene-Placentia withdrew from public view for two days, staying in an apartment separate from her husband and skipping a campaign event. Her husband and campaign staff noted a change in her demeanor upon her return.
Greene-Placentia did not seek medical attention or undergo a sexual assault examination after the incident in congressional district eight. She stated her memory of the event is fragmented, and she did not get a clear look at her assailants, though she described them as white men. She also mentioned that one assailant might have made a misogynistic remark combined with a comment about her political affiliation, but she could not be certain.
The candidate expressed concern that voters might perceive her allegations as a political tactic to gain support in a predominantly Republican district, or that the incident might overshadow her campaign's focus on affordability.