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McSally says she was 'preyed upon and then raped' in Air Force by superior officer

Bucky

Bucky

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Sen. Martha McSally, the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat, disclosed during an emotional Senate hearing on Wednesday she was "preyed upon and then raped" in the Air Force by a superior officer.

The Arizona Republican, who served 26 years in the Air Force, made the disclosure during a Senate hearing on sexual assault allegations in the military. McSally said she didn't report the assault because she didn't trust the system, and was ashamed and confused.


“My drive to fight against sexual assault in the ranks is not from the outside looking in," McSally began. "And it is deeply personal."

McSally said that during her miitary career, she was "greatly privileged to prepare and then lead my amazing Airmen in combat, which is the apex responsibility of any warrior leader."

But, McSally added that she had also "witnessed so many weaknesses in the processes involving sexual assault prevention, investigation, and adjudication," which motivated her "to make recommendations to Air Force leaders, shaped my approach as a commander, and informed my advocacy for change while I remained in the military and since I have been in Congress."
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Arizona GOP Sen. Martha McSally says she was '''preyed upon and then raped''' in Air Force by superior officer | Fox News

Seems to be a common problem. I hope things can be done to prevent things like this.
 
Obviously she doesn't really care or she would have named the officer.

Sorry, but refusing to state who, when or where means I don't believe it. Why would I believe someone claiming rape, while at the same time doing all she can to protect the alleged rapist? Makes no sense to me.
 
haymarket said:
Are you serious?
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I edited my message and I am very serious. Explain why she would protect a man who stalked and raped her years ago?

I fully agree there is a huge problem of discrimination against and abuse of women in the military. However, "I was raped but I won't tell you by who, when or where" is worthless and unbelievable. No matter how long ago and even if no longer in the military, that officer still could be face court martial and a military trial. So she really is doing all she can to protect him - or telling a story and won't give any details to not risk it being disproven.
 
joko104 said:
I edited my message and I am very serious. Explain why she would protect a man who stalked and raped her years ago?
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I cannot. Perhaps you can explain why you think you know more about this than she does and can pass judgment on her?
 
joko104 said:
I edited my message and I am very serious. Explain why she would protect a man who stalked and raped her years ago?

I fully agree there is a huge problem of discrimination against and abuse of women in the military. However, "I was raped but I won't tell you by who, when or where" is worthless and unbelievable. No matter how long ago and even if no longer in the military, that officer still could be face court martial and a military trial. So she really is doing all she can to protect him - or telling a story and won't give any details to not risk it being disproven.
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America has shown that victims who name their accuser will be given death threats, and constant harassment.
 
CMPancake said:
America has shown that victims who name their accuser will be given death threats, and constant harassment.
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This.

I'm no fan of McSally's politics at all, but she comes across as very credible, and my heart goes to her for how badly she was victimized.
 
Bucky said:
Arizona GOP Sen. Martha McSally says she was '''preyed upon and then raped''' in Air Force by superior officer | Fox News

Seems to be a common problem. I hope things can be done to prevent things like this.
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It is being worked on every day, week, month, and year.

The Navy, and other branches of the military hasn't changed one iota since I retired.

It isn't tolerated........period!

Unfortunately, there are those few who manage to weasel through their careers without getting caught for one reason or other.
 
joko104 said:
I edited my message and I am very serious. Explain why she would protect a man who stalked and raped her years ago?

I fully agree there is a huge problem of discrimination against and abuse of women in the military. However, "I was raped but I won't tell you by who, when or where" is worthless and unbelievable. No matter how long ago and even if no longer in the military, that officer still could be face court martial and a military trial. So she really is doing all she can to protect him - or telling a story and won't give any details to not risk it being disproven.
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She is under no obligation to protect or to prosecute her rapist. It's her choice and she can share as much or as little as she wants. If she has no desire to attempt to litigate and revisit a sexual assault that happened 20 years ago, (maybe because she saw what happened to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford) but still wants to share her story with other women who might be going through what she went through, then that's her right. Mentioning the name of the perpetrator may do nothing but expose her to legal risk. What would be the point if she has no desire to put herself through an extended trial trying to prove a decades-old rape?

And I don't imagine she cares what you or anyone else thinks of her decision.
 
RetiredUSN said:
You forgot to mention that the accused get the same treatment.
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Kavanaugh has a job and can coach grade school sports. Dr Ford has to pay for personal protection and move several times to avoid death threats.
 
CMPancake said:
Kavanaugh has a job and can coach grade school sports. Dr Ford has to pay for personal protection and move several times to avoid death threats.
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Has Dr. Ford moved from her 2 front doors? Has she been fired? She must need a helluva lot of personal protection if she's blown through $800K already.
Vanessa Tyson has come out and told her story about being sexually assaulted by VA's Justin Fairfax, and another woman has come forward with her story of being raped by him. Both have gone public. Named names.
Both haven't altered their lives one bit.
Finally, imagine if Diane Feinstein hadn't violated Dr. Ford's express desire to remain anonymous. Imagine if the Democrats hadn't used her to take down Kavanaugh, KNOWING how thin, unsubstantiated and ancient her accusation was.
 
Acadia said:
Has Dr. Ford moved from her 2 front doors? Has she been fired? She must need a helluva lot of personal protection if she's blown through $800K already.
Vanessa Tyson has come out and told her story about being sexually assaulted by VA's Justin Fairfax, and another woman has come forward with her story of being raped by him. Both have gone public. Named names.
Both haven't altered their lives one bit.
Finally, imagine if Diane Feinstein hadn't violated Dr. Ford's express desire to remain anonymous. Imagine if the Democrats hadn't used her to take down Kavanaugh, KNOWING how thin, unsubstantiated and ancient her accusation was.
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That’s because Democrats aren’t crazy like Republicans. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
CMPancake said:
America has shown that victims who name their accuser will be given death threats, and constant harassment.
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McSally is now a US Senator so she really has nothing to fear. I believe her accusation, but I also believe she should name the guy. That may not have been the proper forum to do so, but the scumbag who did that to her should be prosecuted.
 
haymarket said:
I cannot. Perhaps you can explain why you think you know more about this than she does and can pass judgment on her?
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again, if you are raped, why protect the rapist? Joko makes a good point.
 
CMPancake said:
America has shown that victims who name their accuser will be given death threats, and constant harassment.
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You don't think the accused get death threats? That's all I ever saw against the accused on social media, before there is even a court hearing on the evidence!
 
DarkWizard12 said:
again, if you are raped, why protect the rapist? Joko makes a good point.
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On an intellectual level - yes that makes sense.

But there is so much on an emotional level that goes with this and the reluctance to face parts of this yet again that prevents me from duding women who have gone through this and prefer to handle it in their own way.

I cannot walk in those shoes so I will refrain from second guessing how they handle it on a case by case basis.
 
I believe Senator McSally and respect her for NOT naming her attacker.

1. It was many years ago.

2. She presumably sees no value in reliving the humiliation by going through a legal process.

3. She presumably sees no value in destroying that superior's life at this late date.

4. She has simply decided to move on.


I feel that she is acting in a mature and classy way.
 
I think the difficult thing for McSally in naming her accuser (assuming this really happened) is that she may have done non sexual things in an attempt to get along with this turd and he may claim it was her consent. It seems like he worked on her for a little while, grooming and breaking her down with from his position of power. If I was her dad or brother, I would be in a murderous rage over this.

The one good thing is that this guy is probably living in great fear right now, as someone will probably put the pieces together eventually and find out who he is.
 
The military is incredibly hard on those accused of sexual harassment.

However, just like anywhere else an individual has to come forward, or nothing will ever be done about it. Individuals like that will simply continue to do such things because nobody brings it to the official notice of those in higher positions that can "correct" such behavior.

And in this, the military is like any other organization. We have seen it before with politicians, with members in corporate circles, even most spectacularly in the media. Weinstein literally got away with it for years, because nobody would come forward and expose him to the scrutiny of the public.

Yes, it is wrong. But how can things like this ever be handled if nobody comes forward? All "suffering in silence" ever does is guarantee that they will do it over and over again.
 
DarkWizard12 said:
again, if you are raped, why protect the rapist? Joko makes a good point.
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If you were raped by a man would you go on national TV and declare it? Would you go to court and be cross-examined by a defense lawyer in front of your family who accuses you of secretly wanting it to happen because you didn't fight him off? I wouldn't want to go through that. And until I'm in that situation, I can't know if I would do it or not.
 
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