Sen. McSally, ex-Air Force pilot, says officer raped her

Sen. Martha McSally, the first female Air Force fighter pilot to fly in combat, said Wednesday that she was sexually assaulted by a superior officer, and later, when she tried to talk about it to military officials, she “felt like the system was raping me all over again.”

The Arizona Republican, a 26-year military veteran, made the disclosure at a Senate hearing on the military’s efforts to prevent sexual assaults and improve the response when they occur. Lawmakers also heard from other service members who spoke of being sexually assaulted and humiliated while serving their country.

McSally said she did not report being raped because she did not trust the system, and she said she was ashamed and confused. She said she was impressed and grateful to the survivors who came forward to help change the system. She was in the ninth class at the Air Force Academy to allow women, and said sexual harassment and assault were prevalent. Victims mostly suffered in silence, she said.

McSally read from a prepared statement getting choked up at one point. She referred to “perpetrators” who had sexually assaulted her, an indication that she had been attacked more than once.

She did not say whether her assaults happened at the academy or during active duty. She didn’t name any names.

She said she stayed silent for years. But later, as she watched the military grapple with how to handle sexual assaults, she felt like she should speak out.

“I was horrified at how my attempt to share generally my experiences was handled,” she said. She almost left the Air Force after 18 years.

“Like many victims, I felt like the system was raping me all over again.”

More