Former Arizona Senator Martha McSally claims she was sexually assaulted during a flight along the Missouri River yesterday – just two years after she revealed that a senior Air Force officer raped her.
McSally, a 26-year-old military veteran, claims she was harassed by a man during her morning exercise near Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park in Iowa on Wednesday.
Council Bluffs police were called to the scene at 10:53 a.
m. and the department’s criminal investigation division is handling the case.
The former Republican senator was in the area because she was scheduled to speak in Omaha, Nebraska, about “courage and heart and how to have a courageous heart,” noting that she had to be courageous herself that morning. .
“A guy came up behind me and hugged me in a bear hug, harassed me, and followed me until I chased him. “I said a lot of swear words,” she said of the attack.
Former Arizona Senator Martha McSally claims she was sexually assaulted during a flight along the Missouri River yesterday – just two years after she revealed a senior Air Force officer raped her
In an Instagram video, the visibly shaken senator said, “I was just attacked while running along the Missouri River. I realize I’m still in an adrenaline state. I am OK.’
“Right now I was in a fight, flight or freeze, and I chose to fight.”
She said she also threw her water bottle at the alleged attacker and chased him into the bushes — while she called 911 and waited for help.
McSally, a former fighter pilot, added: “I chose to fight. That’s why I’m doing well now. I still have a lot to process.’
She said it touched a nerve from her other sexual assaults, but she felt empowered for fighting back.
The politician added: “I felt like I was taking back my power. He tried to take power from me, but I turned it against him, and he ran from me instead of the other way around. It could have been a lot worse.”
According to McSally, police were unable to locate the alleged perpetrator. She said she wasn’t trying to “give anyone advice on how to respond in situations like this.”
McSally, a former fighter pilot who served in the Air Force for 26 years, added, “I chose to fight. That’s why I’m doing well now. I still have a lot to process.”
She was allegedly attacked near Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, along the Mississippi River.
The caption for her video on Wednesday read: “I was just sexually assaulted while running. I am safe. I am OK. It could have been much worse. I have a lot to process.
“To everyone who has been attacked, speak up. Find your strength. Process it emotionally, spiritually, neurologically. I am safe.’
In an update on Thursday, McSally said she couldn’t eat because her body was in shock, but she fought through and gave her speech that evening.
McSally was elected to the Senate in December 2018 and previously represented Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District in the House for four years.
In March 2019, McSally revealed that she was raped by a superior officer while serving in the Air Force – and almost left the military because of the “betrayal” she felt.
She made the announcement during a Senate hearing on the military’s efforts to prevent sexual assaults and improve responses when they occur.
She spoke emphatically about her “despair” over the incident and the need to improve the system so victims can feel comfortable sharing their stories. She called herself a “rape and betrayal survivor.”
In an update on Thursday, McSally said she couldn’t eat because her body was in shock, but she fought through and gave her speech that evening.
“I share the disgust at the failure of the military system and at many commanders who have failed in their responsibilities,” she said.
McSally said she didn’t report being sexually assaulted because she didn’t trust the system, and she said she felt ashamed and confused.
She did not name the officer she says raped her — though she did have good words for commanders who mishandle assault reports.
“Like many victims, I thought the system was raping me again,” McSally said. ‘But I didn’t give up. “I decided to stay and continued to serve, fight and lead,” she said.
“To be a voice from within the ranks for women, and then in the House of Representatives, and now in the Senate. So this is also personal for me.’
“I remained silent for many years, but later in my career, when the military was dealing with the scandals and their totally inadequate responses, I felt the need to let some people know that I was also a survivor,” she said, choked up when she told what happened to her.
‘I was shocked at the way my attempt to share my experiences in general was handled. I almost divorced the Air Force after 18 years of service because of my desperation. Like many victims, I felt like the system was raping me again.”
Since publicly sharing her own experiences, McSally introduced legislation aimed at changing the way the military handles sexual assault.
The Combating Military Sexual Assault Act was included in a major military spending bill that passed out of committee in 2019. The law focused on the prevention and training, victim assistance, investigation and prosecution of abuse in the military.
Another similar executive order was signed by President Joe Biden in August 2023.
The order changes the way some crimes, including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and murder, are handled within the military justice system, the Defense Department said.
The effective date for the changes, as mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act, is December 27.