US senator, ginahasa habang nasa Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Sinabi nitong Miyerkules ni Arizona Senator Martha McSally, ang unang babaeng lumipad para makipaglaban sa ilalim ng US Air Force, na ginahasa siya ng isang superior officer habang nasa serbisyo.

Ibinunyag ni McSally, 52, gumugol ng 26 na taon sa Air Force at naging commander ng isang fighter squadron, ang pag-atake sa isang emosyonal na pahayag sa isinasagawang Senate subcommittee hearing on sexual assault sa militar.

“I am also a military sexual assault survivor but unlike so many brave survivors I didn’t report being sexually assaulted,” ani McSally.

“The perpetrators abused their position of power in profound ways,” sinabi ng first-term Republican senator.

“And in one case I was preyed upon and then raped by a superior officer.”

Ayon kay McSally, sa loob ng maraming taon ay nanahimik siya tungkol sa assault.

“But later in my career, as the military grappled with scandals and their wholly inadequate responses, I felt the need to let some people know — I too was a survivor,” aniya.

Sinabi ni McSally na naisip niyang umalis sa military matapos ang assault. “Like many victims I felt the system was raping me all over again.

“But I didn’t quit,” aniya. “I decided to stay and continue to serve and fight and lead, to be a voice from within the ranks for women and then in the House and then in the Senate.”

Nitong unang bahagi ng taon ay ibinunyag ni Republican Senator Joni Ernst ng Iowa, isa ring military veteran, na siya ay ginahasa habang nasa kolehiyo.