Rocker Chrissie Hynde is under fire for some controversial comments about rape, in which she says women who dress provocatively or wear high heels “so you can’t run”; from a rapist “have to take responsibility.”;
The former front woman of the Pretenders was interviewed by the U.K.’s Sunday Times, and spoke candidly about her own experience as a rape victim — but ultimately placed the blame on herself.
Discussing the incident, which took place in Ohio in the early 1970s, Hynde says she was invited to a party by members of a biker gang, but was instead taken to an empty house where she was threatened with physical violence if she didn’t perform sexual acts.
“Technically speaking, however you want to look at it, this was all my doing and I take full responsibility,”; said Hynde, 63, of getting into that situtation. “You can’t f*** about with people, especially people who wear “I Heart Rape’ and “On Your Knees’ badges… those motorcycle gangs, that’s what they do… You can’t paint yourself into a corner and then say whose brush is this? You have to take responsibility. I mean, I was naive…”;
She added: “If you play with fire you get burnt. It’s not any secret, is it?”;
However, Hynde incited outrage when she went further by implying that women who dress provocatively are essentially at fault if they’re attacked.
“If I’m walking around in my underwear and I’m drunk? Who else’s fault can it be?”; said Hynde. “If I’m walking around and I’m very modestly dressed and I’m keeping to myself and someone attacks me, then I’d say that’s his fault. But if I’m being very lairy and putting it about and being provocative, then you are enticing someone who’s already unhinged — don’t do that. Come on!”;
Added Hynde: “That’s just common sense. You know, if you don’t want to entice a rapist, don’t wear high heels so you can’t run from him. If you’re wearing something that says “Come and f*** me,’ you’d better be good on your feet… I don’t think I’m saying anything controversial am I?”;
Actually, she was saying something controversial, and was immediately taken to task by U.K. charity Victim Support, with the charity’s director insisting victims of rape should never be made to feel as if they’re responsible for the crime.
“Victims of sexual violence should never feel or be made to feel that they were responsible for the appalling crime they suffered — regardless of circumstances or factors which may have made them particularly vulnerable,”; Victims Support’s Lucy Hastings tells The Daily Mail.
“They should not blame themselves or be blamed for failing to prevent an attack — often they will have been targeted by predatory offenders who are responsible for their actions,”; Hastings adds. “It is critical that nothing deters victims of sexual violence from coming forward to the police or to independent organisations so they can get the help and support they need.”;
