PHOENIX — Arizona Sen. Martha McSally, who was the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat, revealed during a Senate hearing Wednesday that she was "preyed upon and raped" by a superior officer.
The 26-year military veteran said she did not report the assault because "I didn’t trust the system at the time."
The Arizona Republican spoke at a Senate hearing on the armed services' efforts to prevent sexual assaults and improve the response when they occur.
She said she was inspired by the "many survivors who found the strength to share their stories, report their assaults, and demand accountability, justice, and change."
"It is because of you that a light has been shined on this silent epidemic," she said.
McSally said at the time of the assault she felt ashamed and confused and even "blamed myself."
"I thought I was strong but felt powerless," she said. "The perpetrators abused their position of power in profound ways."
McSally said she stayed silent for years, but felt the need to share her story as the military "grappled with the scandals, and their wholly inadequate responses."
But once she shared her experiences, McSally said she was "horrified" by the way it was handled.
"I felt like the system was raping me all over again," she said.
McSally said it almost drove her to leave the Air Force earlier than she did. But she continued on and retired as a colonel. She did not name the officer who she says raped her.
"I decided to stay and continue to serve and fight and lead. To be a voice from within the ranks for women," she said.
McSally's revelation comes not long after Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, detailed her own abuse and assault, and at a time of increased awareness over the problem of harassment and assault in the armed forces.
Reports of sexual assaults across the military jumped nearly 10 percent in 2017— a year that also saw an online nude-photo sharing scandal rock the Defense Department.
McSally said she shares in the disgust of the failures of the military system and many commanders who have failed to address the problems of sexual misconduct. She said the public must demand that higher-ranking officials be part of the solution.
"We cannot command change from the outside alone— it must be deployed within— it must be built, constantly maintained, and expertly managed by commanders who are themselves educated, conditioned and given the tools to ensure what you survived— and what I survived— happens to no warrior under their command," she said.
Last year, McSally revealed she had been sexually abused by her high school track coach when she was 17. But she did not tell her friends or family about it for nearly a decade.
"It took a while for me to come to a place where I understood what the hell I had been through, " McSally told the Wall Street Journal. "At the time, I was so afraid. I now understand— like many girls and boys who are abused by people in authority over them— there's a lot of fear and manipulation and shame."
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) where trained professionals can provide confidential support, help you find a local healthcare facility that's trained to care for survivors, connect you with local resources and provide legal information.
The Associated Press' Colleen Long contributed to this report.