A hearing on sexual assault in the military Wednesday was personal for Sen. Martha McSally. The freshman Arizona Republican revealed before the Senate Armed Services Committee she had been raped by a superior officer while serving in the Air Force.

In her first interview since coming forward with the revelation, McSally told "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell she spoke out to "give the perspective of why I am advocating so strongly for women in the military." A portion of the interview will air Thursday on "CBS This Morning," with more of McSally's comments airing Friday.

"If anybody last night or 50 years ago has also been through a sexual assault, I just want to give them some hope. I want to shine a flashlight for them, that today can be a new day. That they can find some healing in their own lives," McSally said. "They can find their own purpose and not be held back and not be stopped from fulfilling all of their potential in life because of the awful things that they were victimized from. Don't let your assaulter rob you of your future. Don't do it."

Sen. Martha McSally speaks to "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell on March 6, 2019. Chris Albert / CBS News

"It's not just as a commander that I speak, but it's as a survivor that I just felt I needed to talk about it but it isn't about me. I wanted to give the perspective of why I am advocating so strongly for women in the military and why I'm advocating that the command chain has to step up and do their job to rid us of sexual assault," McSally said.

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McSally, appointed to the Senate in December, is a 26-year military veteran and was the first female fighter pilot to fly combat missions. She said speaking about her assault in such a public forum brought back "the very real memories and the realities of it." But she's glad she did it. She also said she believes the prevalence of sexual assault and abuse in the military is a national security threat.

"I don't want people to think, like, well maybe it's just all these problems we have now that there are women in the military. Think about it – if you have a predator, if you have a rapist who is serving in uniform, you don't deal with it by keeping a woman out of their unit. Because that predator is going to go assault someone else," McSally told O'Donnell.

During Wednesday's hearing, McSally said she did not report the crime at the time because she did not trust the system, saying she felt ashamed and confused. She did not name the officer who she said raped her.

"I stayed silent for many years, but later in my career, as the military grappled with the scandals, and their wholly inadequate responses, I felt the need to let some people know I too was a survivor," she said, choking up as she detailed what had happened to her. "I was horrified at how my attempt to share generally my experiences was handled. I almost separated from the Air Force at 18 years of service over my despair. Like many victims, I felt like the system was raping me all over again."

McSally's revelation comes soon after Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa detailed her own abuse and assault, and at a time of increased awareness of harassment and assault in the armed forces. Reports of sexual assaults across the military jumped nearly 10 percent in 2017 — a year that also saw an online nude-photo sharing scandal rock the Defense Department.

McSally said she shares in the disgust of the failures of the military system and many commanders who have failed to address the problems of sexual misconduct. She said the public must demand that higher-ranking officials be part of the solution.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky addressed McSally's testimony Wednesday on Capitol Hill, calling her experience "terrible." He said he would be open to "whatever policy prescriptions Sen. McSally or Sen. Ernst may come up with."

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina also responded to McSally's story.

"I just saw the headline, I know that had to be tough and I hope that it helps other people," he told reporters on Capitol Hill.

McSally retired as a full colonel in the Air Force in 2014, was deployed six times to the Middle East and Afghanistan, and clocked 325 combat hours, according to her Senate website bio. That earned her a Bronze star and six air medals.

McSally's office released her prepared remarks at Wednesday's hearing: