Arizona Congressional Candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia Alleges Rape in Car Park

Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a 42-year-old Democrat, has come forward with allegations of rape in a car park in Sun City, a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona. According to Greene-Placentia, she was attacked on August 14 and suffered significant injuries, including being knocked unconscious.

Greene-Placentia stated that she did not initially report the incident to the authorities. Choosing instead to file a report with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office two weeks later. She expressed concerns that her decision not to report the incident immediately may have been influenced by her role as a candidate in a Republican-leaning district.

Greene-Placentia emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of sexual assault. Officials stated that she did not want to be seen as taking advantage of the situation to gain an advantage in her campaign.

Her Republican opponent, Abraham Hamadeh, has urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations. This includes the retrieval of all available camera footage from the time and location of the incident.

Read More: Trump Says US Cities Can Be 'Taken Out' by Iran in War

Hamadeh expressed his support for victims of crime, stating that "no American should become a victim of a crime in their own community."

A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, but declined to provide further details.

Greene-Placentia expressed concerns that the allegations may overshadow her campaign messaging on issues of affordability. And that voters may view the incident as a political stunt.

She also stated that she did not seek medical attention following the alleged attack and did not receive a sexual assault examination.

Greene-Placentia described the two assailants as white men, although she was unable to provide a clear description of their features.

Also Read: Physicist Francis Halzen Wins Nobel Prize for Groundbreaking Neutrino Observatory

She also mentioned that one of the assailants made a comment about her political affiliation, which included a misogynistic slur.

The BBC has contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office for comment on the investigation.

Asher's spokesman has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, but has not provided further details.