{"id":24005,"date":"2013-01-28T10:07:42","date_gmt":"2013-01-28T09:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/01\/28\/tory-mp-richard-graham-rape-short-skirts-high-heels-vulnerable_n_2565059.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-politics?ncid=GEP"},"modified":"2013-01-28T10:07:42","modified_gmt":"2013-01-28T09:07:42","slug":"tory-mp-says-short-skirts-and-heels-make-women-vulnerable-to-rapists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/tory-mp-says-short-skirts-and-heels-make-women-vulnerable-to-rapists\/","title":{"rendered":"Tory MP Says Short Skirts And Heels ‘Make Women Vulnerable To Rapists’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A Tory<\/a> MP who claimed short skirts and high heels prevented women getting away from potential rapists has denied he was “victim blaming” and said his comments were about “risk management.”<\/p>\n

Gloucester MP Richard Graham told the Gloucestershire Citizen on Friday: “If you are a young woman on her own trying to walk back home through Gloucester Park, early in the morning in a tight, short skirt and high shoes<\/a> and there’s a predator and if you are blind drunk and wearing those clothes how able are you to get away?”<\/p>\n

But on Monday he said he never intended to take the issue lightly, and said he had been affected deeply by the story of a family member who had been raped.<\/p>\n

He said: “I remember being told many years ago by a close family member that she had been raped. I will never forget her words as she told me what happened.<\/p>\n

“I owe it to her and all my female constituents never to take this issue lightly.”<\/p>\n

Jo Wood, a trustee of Rape Crisis England and Wales<\/a>, commented: “It doesn\u2019t matter if you are off your face and lying naked on a bench \u2014 that man takes it upon himself to rape you<\/a>. We should put the blame back on perpetrators.”<\/p>\n

Graham’s words came as a response to the recent comments from actress Joanna Lumley: “Don\u2019t be sick in the gutter at midnight in a who came in for heavy criticism when she said<\/a> silly dress with no money to get a taxi home, because somebody will take advantage of you.<\/p>\n

“Either they\u2019ll rape you or knock you on the head or rob you.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s not me being a snob about it. I promise you it is better to look after yourself properly.”<\/p>\n

\"richard<\/p>\n

Gloucester MP Richard Graham<\/strong><\/p>\n

Graham said he did not agree with the Ab Fab actress but believed Lumley had been “right to highlight the issue”.<\/p>\n

“I stressed the issue was about risk management, about being aware of what behaviour or clothes might put you more at risk and less at risk. Risk management is a million miles from saying anything like ‘she was asking for it’.”<\/p>\n

In a blog post in response to the issue, he said<\/a>: “A night out is about having fun without putting yourself at risk\u2019.<\/p>\n

“I stick by these words. When asked more questions by the reporter I gave examples of things \u2014 including getting drunk or wearing clothes that are hard to run away in \u2014 that might increase rather than reduce risk for young women.<\/p>\n

“Encouraging a sensible approach to risk management in no way intimates any excuse for predatory behaviour, let alone rape, and I have asked The Citizen to clarify that and to apologise for claiming that I agreed with Lumley\u2019s views.<\/p>\n

“As the father of a 20 year old daughter I rightly have strong views both on the importance of risk management and the hideousness of rape. Let no reader be any doubt about both, and not misled by a misleading article and inappropriate editorial.”<\/p>\n

Gloucester’s Labour council leader Kate Haigh is organising a ‘slut walk’ in response to the MP’s comments, where women lead a march through the city, dressed in short skirts.<\/p>\n

“They should be able to go out, wearing what they want, and feel safe” Haigh told the Gloucester Citizen.<\/p>\n

Politicians controversially wading into the rape debate has been a big issue in America too.<\/p>\n

Former Missouri Republican Senate candidate, Todd Akin, claimed last August that women who were the victims of “legitimate rape<\/a>” rarely became pregnant.<\/p>\n

Last October, Indiana’s Tea Party Senate candidate, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, claimed pregnancies stemming from rape, however horrible, are “something that God intended to happen<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

Neither candidate was re-elected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

A Tory<\/a> MP who claimed short skirts and high heels prevented women getting away from potential rapists has denied he was “victim blaming” and said his comments were about “risk management.”<\/p>\n

Gloucester MP Richard Graham told the Gloucestershire Citizen on Friday: “If you are a young woman on her own trying to walk back home through Gloucester Park, early in the morning in a tight, short skirt and high shoes<\/a> and there’s a predator and if you are blind drunk and wearing those clothes how able are you to get away?”<\/p>\n

But on Monday he said he never intended to take the issue lightly, and said he had been affected deeply by the story of a family member who had been raped.<\/p>\n

He said: “I remember being told many years ago by a close family member that she had been raped. I will never forget her words as she told me what happened.<\/p>\n

“I owe it to her and all my female constituents never to take this issue lightly.”<\/p>\n

Jo Wood, a trustee of Rape Crisis England and Wales<\/a>, commented: “It doesn’t matter if you are off your face and lying naked on a bench – that man takes it upon himself to rape you<\/a>. We should put the blame back on perpetrators.”<\/p>\n

Graham’s words came as a response to the recent comments from actress Joanna Lumley: “Don’t be sick in the gutter at midnight in a who came in for heavy criticism when she said<\/a> silly dress with no money to get a taxi home, because somebody will take advantage of you.<\/p>\n

“Either they’ll rape you or knock you on the head or rob you.<\/p>\n

“It’s not me being a snob about it. I promise you it is better to look after yourself properly.”<\/p>\n

\"richard<\/p>\n

Gloucester MP Richard Graham<\/strong><\/p>\n

Graham said he did not agree with the Ab Fab actress but believed Lumley had been “right to highlight the issue”.<\/p>\n

“I stressed the issue was about risk management, about being aware of what behaviour or clothes might put you more at risk and less at risk. Risk management is a million miles from saying anything like ‘she was asking for it’.”<\/p>\n

In a blog post in response to the issue, he said<\/a>: “A night out is about having fun without putting yourself at risk’.<\/p>\n

“I stick by these words. When asked more questions by the reporter I gave examples of things – including getting drunk or wearing clothes that are hard to run away in – that might increase rather than reduce risk for young women.<\/p>\n

“Encouraging a sensible approach to risk management in no way intimates any excuse for predatory behaviour, let alone rape, and I have asked The Citizen to clarify that and to apologise for claiming that I agreed with Lumley’s views.<\/p>\n

“As the father of a 20 year old daughter I rightly have strong views both on the importance of risk management and the hideousness of rape. Let no reader be any doubt about both, and not misled by a misleading article and inappropriate editorial.”<\/p>\n

Gloucester’s Labour council leader Kate Haigh is organising a ‘slut walk’ in response to the MP’s comments, where women lead a march through the city, dressed in short skirts.<\/p>\n

“They should be able to go out, wearing what they want, and feel safe” Haigh told the Gloucester Citizen.<\/p>\n

Politicians controversially wading into the rape debate has been a big issue in America too.<\/p>\n

Former Missouri Republican Senate candidate, Todd Akin, claimed last August that women who were the victims of “legitimate rape<\/a>” rarely became pregnant.<\/p>\n

Last October, Indiana’s Tea Party Senate candidate, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, claimed pregnancies stemming from rape, however horrible, are “something that God intended to happen<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

Neither candidate was re-elected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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