Ansari Leads Democratic Women’s Caucus in Standing with Greene-Placentia and Condemning Sexual Violence

PHOENIX – This week, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), alongside Representatives Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Grijalva (AZ-07), and the Congressional Democratic Women’s Caucus issued the following statement condemning the horrific sexual assault of Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a candidate for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District: “The Arizona Congressional House Delegation and the Democratic Women’s Caucus condemn in the absolute strongest terms the grotesque attack and rape committed against Bernadette Greene-Placentia, candidate for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. Our hearts go out to her as she navigates the severe trauma of this horrific and monstrous attack as well as to her family, friends, and staff who are standing with her through it. “No candidate for office should be faced with physical or sexual violence, something which we have seen far too often across this country and in Arizona in particular. “Sexual violence is a national crisis. According to RAINN, an estimated 443,634 rapes and sexual assaults occur annually in the United States, and nearly 9 in 10 victims of reported rape are women or girls. These numbers underscore the devastating scale of this violence and the disproportionate harm it inflicts on women. “Sexual violence should have absolutely no place in our society or politics, and it’s high past time that we as a country do everything in our power to protect victims and address it with the severity it warrants. “Far too many have survived sexual violence at some point in their lives and far too few have seen justice served on their behalf. We demand that the perpetrators of this attack are swiftly brought to justice and that Ms. Greene-Placentia is able to heal.” ### Print Email Share