Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opened up about her personal experience on Capitol Hill during the January 6 riots. Throughout her time on Instagram Live, Ocasio-Cortez called out some of the GOP Senators who have spread lies regarding the most recent presidential election. Specifically, she called for Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz to resign.
"They’re trying to tell us that it wasn't a big deal. They’re trying to tell us to move on without any accountability, without any truth-telling," Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said about the response from certain members of the GOP following the riots.
"What that tells me is that when given another window of political opportunity for themselves, even if they know that it means, that it will endanger their colleagues, they will do it again.
As she continued, the congresswoman revealed that she was a survivor of sexual assault. She alluded to her past trauma as a sexual assault survivor to highlight a larger discussion about how trauma can compound upon each other.
***The video below may pertain to topics of sexual violence***
“I’m a survivor of sexual assault,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said.
“And I haven’t told many people that in my life. But when we go through trauma, trauma compounds on each other.”
The trauma of the riots knocked on her door, literally. While explaining how harrowing the day was for her, she recounted an incident in which a rioter ran up to her door while she was in her office and began demanding that she come out.
"Then I just start to hear these yells of, 'Where is she? Where is she?" the unidentified rioter asked.
"This was the moment where I thought everything was over."
Unfortunately, as the congresswoman points out, her story is likely not unique.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, please reach out: The National Sexual Assault Hotline http://rainn.org 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
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