A Nebraska man accused of groping former U.S. Sen. Martha McSally is now in custody, ending a two-day search for her alleged assailant.
In avideo posted to Facebookon Wednesday afternoon, McSally, 57, revealed that she had just been sexually assaulted while running through River’s Edge Park in Council Bluffs. She was passing through the area for a speaking engagement in Omaha.
Council Bluffs Police Department
Explaining the incident and acknowledging that she was “still in an adrenaline state,” McSally said, “A man came up behind me and he engulfed me in a bear hug, and he molested and fondled me until I fought him off.”
“I then chased him down,” she continued. “I said a lot of swear words in this moment. I was in a fight, flight of freeze, and I chose to fight.”
By Thursday evening, the Council Bluffs Police Department had released surveillance photos of the suspect in the moments before and after the alleged assault, and announced that a warrant was out for Henton’s arrest.
Christian Petersen/Getty
After authorities identified Henton as the suspect, McSally took to social media to address him directly, writing, “Dominic Henton, like I screamed at you yesterday (with profanity), you will not get away with this or try to harm and violate another woman. You picked the wrong target.”
Martha McSally, former U.S. representative and senator.Matt York/AP/REX/Shutterstock
McSally — a Republican who represented Arizona in the Senate from 2019-2020 and spent four years in the House before that — has spoken publicly before about her history with sexual abuse.
McSally served in the Air Force from 1988 to 2010 and retired as a colonel, explaining during the hearing that it was only “later in my career, as the military grappled with [sexual abuse] scandals and their wholly inadequate responses,” that she “felt the need to let some people know I, too, was a survivor,” according to theArizonaRepublic.
“These experiences don’t define me, but only deepened and strengthened my resolve to not be powerless, and dedicate my life to fight for others, especially girls, women and the vulnerable,” shesaidin a statement.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
