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Tory MP suggests women wearing short skirts and high heels increases risk of rape

January 28, 2013 8:46 am

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Tory MP Richard Graham is under fire after he suggested that women wearing short skirts and high heels (and drinking) might increase their chances of getting raped. Graham said:

“If you are a young woman on her own trying to walk back home through a park early in the morning in a tight, short skirt and high shoes and there’s a predator… if you are blind drunk wearing those clothes, how able are you to get away?”

“It’s not about the impact of your clothes on a potential predator – it’s about whether the clothes you’re wearing make it harder to get away from a predator.”

Presumably that means women should wear clothes that make them more capable of fleeing would be rapists at all times. Tracksuits and trainers perhaps?

Jo Wood, a trustee of Rape Crisis England and Wales, put the opposing case succinctly:

“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. We should put the blame back on perpetrators.”

We couldn’t agree more – Richard Graham should apologise.

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  • http://twitter.com/robertsjonathan Jonathan Roberts

    Hang on. He hasn’t said women who wear short skirts and heels are ‘asking for it’ or in any way deserve to be attacked. He specifically says his comments are not about any ‘impact’ clothing has on a potential predator.

    All he has said is that restrictive clothing would make it more difficult for a woman to escape should they be targeted. Surely that’s a matter of fact? Yes, it is sad that such things should even have to be thought of, but I don’t see anything in what he said that suggests he putting the blame on women for the actions of a monstrous minority of men. Nothing to apologise for.

    • ejpred

      So remember women, on your next night out, don’t forget to wear your best nike trainers and umbro tracksuit to ensure that you don’t fall foul of some nasty piece of work who’s more prepared and dressed to engage in his disgusting and abhorent chosen activity!!! Can anybody please tell me what in gods name goes through the heads of politicians of this ilk??? Don’t make excuse for them please

    • http://twitter.com/mosabbir Mosabbir Ali

      100%

  • http://twitter.com/BenMonteith Ben Monteith

    I don’t think he’s saying at all that it’s the woman’s fault.

  • http://www.facebook.com/robbieshorrock Rob Shorrock

    It isn’t clear from the Mail article why he was in fact talking about this – which always makes me suspicious about the integrity of the article. My guess is that he was asked the question and unfortunately engaged with it and it gets reported in the way it does. That said, there is nothing wrong in arguing that people should be aware of and try to avoid placing themselves in a vulnerable position in a potentially dangerous environment.

  • http://twitter.com/AllZeeZ Zayed Zaheer

    labour shouldnt lie. I vote Labour.

  • Pingback: Oiselle Women's Run Short Sleeve Performance Tee (Lavender | Petite Apparel

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