Rep. Jason Crow: Important To Avoid Stigmatizing Congress Members Experiencing Capitol Riot Trauma
(CBS4) - Members of Congress are speaking out about how they are dealing with the ongoing trauma from last month's insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat who represents Colorado's 6th Congressional District is among those who were photographed in the House chamber on Jan. 6 comforting others as insurgents tried to get through the door.
On CBS This Morning Friday Crow, a war veteran, explained that he was among the many lawmakers who feared for their lives that day. He said there's a need for a conversation to be had about what lawmakers went through.
"I think what's important to understand is that trauma -- whether it's combat trauma in my instance or other types of trauma -- it is outside the realm of normal human experience. And that everybody is impacted, whether they know it or not. And they're impacted in different ways, on different timelines," he said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York joined him on CBS, with both saying it is important to make sure the survivors of trauma are not stigmatized.
"One of the biggest problems as a nation, as a society, is the stigma that's put on survivors and that prevents survivors from actually coming forward and getting the help that they need," Crow said. "We have over 20 veterans a day that kill themselves because of the stigma that prevents them from getting help, and other survivors deal with that stigma, too. And it has to stop."
