WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – Senator Martha McSally—the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat—said she was raped by a superior officer while she was serving in the Air Force.
McSally revealed her experience during a Senate hearing on preventing sexual assault in the military and improving the response when it occurs.
The junior senator from Arizona spent 26-years in the Air Force.
McSally says she did not report her rape because she didn’t trust the system.
She says military commanders must be trained and empowered to take legal action and if they fail to do so, they should be removed and held accountable.
Reports of sexual assaults in the military went up nearly 10 percent in 2017.
Sen. McSally said, “Conduct—any conduct—that degrades this readiness doesn’t just harm individuals in the ranks, it harms the mission and places at risk the security of our country. Commanders also have a covenant with the men and women under their command. The one percent who volunteer to serve in uniform. They are asked to follow lawful orders that could risk their lives for the mission. In return, it is the commander’s responsibility to surround their people with a climate of integrity, discipline, and excellence.”
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