Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic congressional candidate in Arizona, has disclosed that she was sexually assaulted in August while working to repair a campaign sign in a parking lot. Greene-Placentia, described as a trucker and small-business owner, shared her account with the Phoenix New Times and subsequently with other media outlets.
According to her account and campaign statements, the incident occurred on August 14 in the early morning hours. Greene-Placentia stated that an attacker struck her on the head, causing her to lose consciousness. She recalled waking to find herself being assaulted by one man while another was present. When she attempted to defend herself by swinging her leg, the second man reportedly made a dismissive comment before both attackers left the scene.
Greene-Placentia described having fragmented memories of the assault and its immediate aftermath, noting she may have sustained a concussion and bore visible bruises. She initially felt reluctant to report the incident, which she attributed to embarrassment. However, she ultimately decided to disclose what happened, telling the newspaper that as a candidate who spoke about fighting for Arizonans, she felt compelled to also advocate for sexual assault survivors. She notified her campaign staff and husband days after the assault and filed a report with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office approximately two weeks later.
A campaign spokesperson characterized Greene-Placentia’s decision to speak publicly as difficult, stating she hoped her disclosure would encourage other survivors to break their silence. State Representative Stephanie Simacek, identified as a friend of Greene-Placentia, confirmed that the candidate informed her of the assault in early September and described her reaction as deeply disturbing. A Maricopa County Sheriff’s spokesperson declined to provide details, citing an ongoing investigation.
Greene-Placentia is running against Republican incumbent Abraham Hamadeh in a district encompassing parts of Phoenix.
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