Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ), the first female combat fighter pilot, told fellow senators Wednesday that she was sexually assaulted by a superior officer during her time in the U.S. Air Force. “I stayed silent for many years, but later in my career, as the military grappled with the scandals, and their wholly inadequate responses, I felt the need to let some people know I too was a survivor,” McSally said, during a hearing on sexual assault in the military. “I was horrified at how my attempt to share generally my experiences was handled. I almost separated from the Air Force at 18 years of service over my despair. Like many victims, I felt like the system was raping me all over again.” McSally did not identify the officer who allegedly assaulted her. Her statement comes just months after Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) detailed her own alleged experiences of assault at the hands of her husband.
