Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recounts Capitol riots, reveals she is a sexual assault survivor

While recounting her harrowing experience of the Capitol riots, US Democratic politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on February 1 said publicly for the first time that she is a sexual assault survivor. In an Instagram live, AOC disclosed little about her sexual assault ordeal but said that being told to “move on” from the riots last month reminded her of the tactics of abusers. She said that the folks who tell you to “move one”, “that it’s not a big deal, that we should forget what happened or even telling us to apologise” these are the same tactic of abusers. 

"I'm a survivor of sexual assault," she said, fighting back tears. "And I haven't told many people that in my life."

The congresswoman shared her recollections of January 6, the day supporters of former President Donald Trump overran the Capitol, while lawmakers were in session to affirm Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election. During the 90-minute discussion, the New York Democrat also went on to compare lawmakers like Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, who she accused of trying to play down the seriousness of the riot, to abusers who attempt to silence and undermine victims. She also added that demanding accountability for the Capitol riot wasn’t about politics, but its “about just basic humanity”. 

READ: Lincoln Project To Sue Rudy Giuliani Over Defamatory Remarks About Capitol Riots

READ: US Capitol Riots: Two Alleged Proud Boys Members Indicted For Conspiracy

Moment when AOC thought it was ‘over’ 

AOC revealed that there were moments that day when she thought she wouldn’t make it out of the complex alive. Hiding in the bathroom in her office behind the door, she said that she started to hear yell: “Where is she? Where is she?”. AOC added, “this was the moment where I thought it was over”. 

READ: Woman Who Allegedly Threatened To 'shoot Pelosi In Head' Charged In Capitol Riots

The person thumping on the doors turned out to be a police officer trying to move her to a secure location, Ocasio-Cortez said, but the harrowing moments was just the first of many as a mob of Trump supporters breached the Capitol building. As the dust settled after the riot, Cortez said that Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley gave her good advice. “What you experienced was traumatising. And you need to take care of yourself,” she said. 

AOC’s comments on Monday come almost three weeks after she said that she didn’t feel safe going to an extraction point with Republican lawmakers and feared that GOP colleagues would lead rioters to her. According to The Washington Post, the Federal prosecutors have already charged one alleged Capitol riot with threatening in a tweet to “Assassinate AOC”. AOC said that she had begun received text message from members of Congress warning her that she needed to make plans to ensure her safety, particularly on January 6. 

READ: US Federal Agents: Capitol Riot Accused Had ‘bomb-making Manuals’ On Thumb Drive