AOC shared an emotional Instagram Live on Monday evening in which she recounted her harrowing experience during the Capitol insurrection on Jan.6. Here are the truths we can extract about assault, terror and trauma.

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U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared an emotional Instagram Live on Monday evening in which she recounted her harrowing experience during the Capitol insurrection on Jan.6.

Visibly shaken and brought to tears, she describes her fear as she hid in the bathroom of her office. Someone banged on the door and entered the room, repeatedly yelling, "Where is she?"

"This was the moment I thought everything was over," she said. "I mean, I thought I was going to die."

She's not delusional - one of the rioters was arrested following a tweet that simply said, "Assassinate AOC."

AOC's Instagram Live was watched by roughly 150,000 viewers. According to Newsweek, "Ocasio-Cortez's almost 90-minute livestream has amassed more than a million views on Instagram alone. But snippets of some significant moments have amassed at least another 3 million views on Twitter. A two-minute clip of Ocasio-Cortez describing the time she spent hiding in her office bathroom was shared on Twitter by Hannah Croteau, who called it "bone chilling." That clip had amassed more than 2.3 million views by early Tuesday morning."

As she describes the horrors of January 6th, she says, "They're trying to tell us to forget about what happened. They're trying to tell us it wasn't a big deal...They're trying to tell us to move on without any accountability, without any truth-telling or without actually confronting the extreme damage, physical harm, loss of life and trauma that was inflicted on not just me as a person, not just other people as individuals, but on all of us as a collective and on many other people. We cannot move on without accountability. We cannot heal without accountability. And so, all of these people who are telling us to move on are doing so at their own convenience... noting that they are using "the same tactics of abusers."

She talked about the fact that trauma often builds upon past traumas, resurrecting PTSD, and mentioned, "I'm a survivor of sexual assault, and I haven't told many people that in my life. But when we go through trauma, trauma compounds on each other."

If one goes by the headlines the next day, in her 90-minute recording, the few-second revelation that she was a sexual assault survivor seemed to be the only story:

BBC: AOC: Ocasio-Cortez says she is sexual assault survivor

Reuters: AOC: I'm a survivor of sexual assault

The Guardian: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she is a sexual assault survivor

Washington Post: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reveals she is a survivor of sexual assault

Washington Times: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "I'm a survivor of sexual assault"

People.com: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reveals She Is a Sexual Assault Survivor

CNN digital and ABC News at least did a little better:

CNN: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she's a sex assault survivor as she recounts Capitol chaos

ABC News: AOC Reveals she is a sexual assault survivor while recounting Capitol siege

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime, and approximately 1 in 5 women in the U.S. has experienced a completed or attempted rape. With 126 women in congress, that means at a minimum, 25 of them are survivors of sexual assault. But I suspect that because most rapes and attempted rapes go unreported, that these percentages are far too low. Of the women I know, the percentage is much closer to 4 out of 5 or more who have experienced sexual assault. Perhaps AOC's courageous revelation will help change these statistics. I hope so. But meanwhile, it seems like these outlets missed 99% of AOC's story.

Which outlets managed to see beyond a titillating headline?

Rolling Stone: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Said Something Genuine, So Of Course Men Reacted Poorly

Rolling Stone did a great job of addressing infamous Twitter contrarian Michael Tracey, who called her heartfelt sharing, "emotional manipulation," and that "(AOC) invoked her alleged sexual assault in order to shame as abusive those who don't uncritically affirm her histrionic account of what occurred at the Capitol. If you don't see the manipulativeness inherent in that rhetorical tactic, you are delusional."

The Stone notes, "Tracy's categorization of AOC's account as 'histrionic' is particularly telling, given the irrefutable evidence that she has faced threats to her life while in Congress" and "AOC has spent the majority of her political life coming under harsh scrutiny from (mostly male, mostly conservative) political commentators who are so enraged by her youth, her vigor, her eloquence, her social media fluency, and her preternatural political savvy that they've been forced to conclude that it's all a load of bullshit" and that these "echo the tactics that men frequently use to negate or downplay women's experiences with sexual violence. When a sexual assault survivor comes forward, it is not uncommon for people (mostly, but not always, men) to refute the veracity of their account by in part blaming the victim for the attack."

In response to Tracey's tweet, Jessica Valenti wrote "For misogynists, it's not just about disbelieving women who come forward about sexual assault - it's about painting them as the real wrongdoers." And here is Valenti's perfectly worded gem of truth:

To sexists, women are the real perpetrators because we've victimized men by holding them accountable.

- Jessica Valenti

"You made me do it to you."

Sound familiar?

That's how the abuser adopts the protective armor of being the victim.

Finally, USA Today did a great job in making the connection between the trauma of sexual assault with the trauma of the assault on the Capitol and members of Congress. Although previous outlets seemed, by their headlines, to be oblivious, this was actually the main point that AOC was making:

USA Today: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is explaining something about trauma. Experts say we should listen.

USA Today noted, "Trauma experts say Ocasio-Cortez's reaction is normal and expected, and her account aligns with what science shows happens to a mind and body under extreme forms of stress. When someone has a history of trauma, a new traumatic event, even if it's a different type of trauma, can reactivate similar feelings. It's likely, experts said, that Ocasio-Cortez's experience with sexual assault intensified what she endured at the Capitol."

USA Today quoted Jennifer G????mez, a psychology professor at Wayne State University, who said that sexual assault "is a violation that takes their power away. ... The insurrection also is very deliberately and explicitly taking power away, with harm directed at specific targets, like women of color, more than others, like white men...AOC, and all the many others who have experienced violence, is reacting normally to extreme events. The links between sexual assault and the insurrection, in particular, are profound."

USA Today also quoted Kristen Barber, a sociology professor at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, who said "Watching these images (is) triggering for people who experience the everyday violence of white male supremacy, whether that's Black men who are patrolled by white police officers on the street or women who feel threatened by white men in their spaces on a daily basis...It's a reminder of the everyday stresses that come with living in a world that's shaped by white masculinity ... and that your wellness comes second to their expressions of dominance, which they see as their right."

Experts say demonstrations of white masculinity have mental health impacts on everyone, but especially women, and can create stress, anxiety and trauma.

For the first time in its history, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued guidelines to help clinicians improve the health of boys and men, declaring that certain aspects of "traditional masculinity" were "harmful" in a report that was backed by more than 40 years of research. The APA defines traditional masculinity as "a particular constellation of standards that have held sway over large segments of the population, including: anti-femininity, achievement, eschewal of the appearance of weakness, and adventure, risk, and violence." The results of the guidelines triggered the predictable responses from conservatives who say that the report constitutes an attack on American men.

It's well worth watching Ocasio-Cortez' Instagram Live recording, although some, like me, may need to do it in small doses to avoid rekindling our own PTSD.

This is the full letter AOC sent out Tuesday afternoon (trigger warnings here, also, but reading this is easier than watching the video for anyone with previous traumas):

Monday night, I hopped on IG live to talk about what happened at the Capitol. My story is one of many. It's not the only story or the central story.

But, it's important to share because so many of the people who helped perpetrate what happened are trying to tell us to move on and forget about what happened - saying it isn't a big deal.

They're asking us to move on for their own convenience. These are the same tactics used by abusers. What they are really asking is: "Can you forget about this so we can do it again?"

I'm a survivor of sexual assault, and I haven't told many people that in my life. But when we go through trauma, whether we have neglectful parents or any kind of trauma, these episodes can compound on one another. Part of my hesitancy to tell this story until now has to do with some of my trauma. As a survivor, I struggle with the idea of being believed.

Many Republicans have done everything they can to try to rewrite history. They say we're exaggerating or stoking tensions or even that I should apologize. Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz have had nearly a month to apologize for their role, but over and over they've doubled down and said they did the right thing and if they could go back, they'd do it all again. That's why they need to resign, because they will do it again.

First, let's dispel the idea that this insurrection happened suddenly - that there was no way for Hawley, Cruz or Trump not to see this violence coming or anticipate their role in stoking it. Everyone knew something was going to happen.

One week before, I started to get text messages from other members of Congress saying that I needed to be careful on Wednesday. So I started thinking through a security plan with my staff.

Insurrectionists arrived in town starting on Monday. That day, as I exited the Capitol, a crowd of Trump supporters were gathered directly behind my car. All there was to protect myself and other members of Congress was a waist-high fence.

My heart was beating fast. They were yelling insults my way. I tried to lighten the mood to create enough space for me to drive away and get out of there.

Later that day, I went to the grocery store and saw all these people in MAGA hats. It felt tense. And, I guess it felt like - whether you're from the Bronx, New York City, Queens, or wherever - you can just catch a vibe and kind of know a general sense of when things aren't right. And things started to feel "not right" when I was in that grocery store that Monday night.

By Tuesday, 24 hours before the events on January 6th, I had already resolved that I wouldn't go back outside except to vote. Myself and other members asked about security plans, and we were told that it was being handled by Capitol Police and couldn't be shared.

Fast forward, Wednesday, January 6: At 12:45pm, my chief of staff called me and asked how I was feeling. In that moment, I was feeling great - Rev. Warnock and Jon Ossoff had just won. I was on cloud nine. It took a weight off my shoulders - and I hoped maybe it would take the wind out of the sails of the growing mob outside the Capitol.

Shortly after we hung up, I heard violent bangs on my office door and all the doors into our congressional office. My legislative director - G - told me to hide. I ran into the bathroom - then quickly realized I should have gone to the closet instead. When I opened the door to move, I heard that someone had already gotten into my office. It was too late. Then, they started to yell: "Where is she?" "Where is she?" "Where is she?"

This is the moment I thought everything was over. As a spiritual person, I thought: if this is the plan for me, people - you all - would be able to take it from here. I felt that things were going to be okay and that I had fulfilled my purpose.

Peaking through the hinges of the door behind which I was hiding, I saw a white man with a black beanie come into my direct office. He continued to ask, "where is she?" "where is she?" Finally, I heard G follow him and say "Boss, it's OK to come out."

The man in the black beanie was a Capitol Police officer - he was alone with no partner, and I never heard him identify himself as Capitol Police or anything. We weren't sure if he was there to help us or hurt us. He was looking at me with a tremendous amount of anger and hostility.

Yelling, he told us to go to a different building where all Members would be extracted - not providing the room number or any other exact information on where in the building that extraction point was. Still, we started running. Alone with no escort and no specific location, we could hear the rioters outside. Not knowing where to go, I ran to find the offices of members I knew in the building. After running up and down the stairs, googling frantically to find room numbers, I eventually found Rep. Katie Porter's office and asked if we could shelter with her.

She welcomed us in, and we started searching for where we could hide. We pushed couches against the door. I found clothes and sneakers to change into in case I needed to run, jump out of a window, or blend in with a crowd. We turned off all the lights.

Shortly after we finished barricading ourselves, we received intelligence that bombs were found not far from where we were. We discussed what we'd do if the building exploded. Staffers were making decisions to put their lives on the line to save us.

When I finally learned the location of the extraction point, I didn't feel safe going there, knowing that some Republican members were live tweeting the locations of the Speaker and others. I knew the National Guard hadn't been called. We were in Rep. Porter's office for hours.

After the building was secure, I walked over to Rep. Pressley's office where she and her staffers made sure I was fed. We were at Ayanna's office until 4am as Congress finally proceeded with voting to certify the electoral college. There are more details to share at some point, but not today.

Rep. Pressley told me that night that what I experienced was traumatizing. Hearing her say that, it forced me to pump my brakes. If you have experienced any type of trauma, just admitting and recognizing it is already a big step. The moment you admit that a thing happened to you is hugely important.

I look back on this and Ayanna really helped my healing. Telling your story is an important tool for healing, which is why I'm telling mine. Together, we have 435 stories and we need to tell them because every time a Republican gets on television and tells us to forget, these stories are reminders of what they're trying to absolve.

What happens now should not be a partisan issue. This moment is not about a difference of political opinion. This is about basic humanity.

We knew that violence was expected on January 6. We knew the rioters depended on someone upholding the lie that the presidential election was fraudulent. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley chose to tell the lie because they thought it would be politically advantageous.

Six people have lost their lives, eyes and limbs have been lost, and many more people traumatized. Even after all of that, not even an 'I'm sorry.' Not even an: 'I didn't realize what I said would contribute to this violence and if I had known, I wouldn't have done it.' Instead the response has been, 'I did the right thing and I would do it again.'

If that is their stance, these members will continue to be a danger to their colleagues. Given the same conditions, they will choose to endanger their colleagues for political gain again. That's why we need accountability.

It's not about revenge, it's about creating safety. We are not safe with people who hold political power who are willing to endanger lives for political gain.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this or listen to my IG live. I've been giving myself the time and space to heal. And, if you've experienced trauma, I hope you'll do the same. You don't need to have experienced the worst thing or the biggest thing. Talk to someone about it. Acknowledge it in your heart.

Big hugs and build a snowman for me,

AOC

Authors Website: http://www.OceanViewArts.com

Authors Bio:

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author, educator and OpedNews Managing Editor who has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing since she was a hippie. She began writing for OpEdNews in Feb, 2004. She became a Senior Editor in August 2012 and Managing Editor in January, 2013. In June, 2015, the combined views on her articles, diaries and quick link contributions topped one million. She was particularly happy that her article about Bree Newsome removing the Confederate flag was the one that put her past the million mark.

Her art in a wide variety of media can be seen on her YouTube video, "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE

A NYC native, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006), which is a bestseller in the craft field. The sequel, MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects With Triangles and Squares was released in April, 2011. Her popular video, How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShGOQaJQ8

She has been active in a number of international, arts-related projects as a citizen diplomat, and was arts advisor to Baltimore's CIUSSR (Center for Improving US-Soviet Relations), 1987-89. She made two trips to the former USSR in 1987 and 1988 to speak to artists, craftpeople and fashion designers on the topic of utilizing the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. She created the historical "First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project" in 1987-88, which was the first time a reciprocal quilt was given to the US from the former USSR.

Her artwork is in collections across the globe.

Meryl Ann is a founding member of The Labyrinth Society and has been building labyrinths since 1992. She publishes an annual article about the topic on OpEdNews on World Labyrinth Day, the first Saturday in May.

OpEdNews Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in "Beyond Surviving: How to Thrive in Challenging Times" at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beyond-Surviving--How-to-by-Joan-Brunwasser-Anxiety_Appreciation_Coronavirus_Creativity-200318-988.html

Find out more about Meryl Ann's artistic life in "OEN Managing Ed, Meryl Ann Butler, Featured on the Other Side of the Byline" at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/OEN-Managing-Ed-Meryl-Ann-in-Life_Arts-Artistic_Artists_Quilt-170917-615.html

On Feb 11, 2017, Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in Pink Power: Sister March, Norfolk, VA at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Pink-Power-Sister-March--by-Joan-Brunwasser-Pussy-Hats-170212-681.html

"Creativity and Healing: The Work of Meryl Ann Butler" by Burl Hall is at
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Creativity-and-Healing--T-by-Burl-Hall-130414-18.html

Burl and Merry Hall interviewed Meryl Ann on their BlogTalk radio show, "Envision This," at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/envision-this/2013/04/11/meryl-ann-butler-art-as-a-medicine-for-the-soul

Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html
Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.