The Air Force is holding off on investigating Sen. Martha McSally’s claims that she was raped by a superior officer when she was an Air Force pilot, citing McSally’s wishes.
“The Air Force takes every allegation of sexual assault seriously, no matter when the allegation is made, and thoroughly considers the right way to proceed,” Ann Stefanek, chief of Air Force media operations, said in a statement Friday. “Given the Senator’s desire to not participate in an investigation, the Air Force will remain ready to investigate further if the Senator’s desire changes or other information is presented.”
McSally claimed Wednesday that she was raped during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing about how to combat sexual assault in the military, but did not share the identity of the officer involved in the alleged incident.
She said she did not report the incident because she “didn’t trust the system,” and was “ashamed and confused.”
“I stayed silent for many years, but later in my career, as the military grappled with the scandals, and their wholly inadequate responses, I felt the need to let some people know I too was a survivor,” McSally said.
“I was horrified at how my attempt to share generally my experiences was handled. I almost separated from the Air Force at 18 years of service over my despair,” said McSally. “Like many victims, I felt like the system was raping me all over again.”
The Air Force issued a statement later Wednesday apologizing for McSally’s experience and voicing the branch’s support for her and other victims.
“The criminal actions reported today by Senator McSally violate every part of what it means to be an Airman,” the statement read. “We are appalled and deeply sorry for what Senator McSally experienced and we stand behind her and all victims of sexual assault. We are steadfast in our commitment to eliminate this reprehensible behavior and breach of trust in our ranks.”
McSally, who was the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat, joined the Air Force in 1988 and retired in 2010 after obtaining the rank of colonel.
