UPDATE: ‘I’m Not Blaming The Girl.. BUT..’ Serena Williams Victim Blames The Steubenville Victim

Serena Williams Blames Steubenville Rape VictimSerena Williams perpetuated a whole lot of rape culture in an interview with Rolling Stone that was posted online yesterday where she was quoted as saying:

“Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don’t know. I’m not blaming the girl, but if you’re a 16-year-old and you’re drunk like that, your parents should teach you: Don’t take drinks from other people. She’s 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn’t remember? It could have been much worse. She’s lucky. Obviously, I don’t know, maybe she wasn’t a virgin, but she shouldn’t have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that’s different.”

My obvious response to this is “Um, no Serena, if you are a 16-year-old your parents should teach you: Don’t be a rapist.”

It’s really that simple. Don’t rape people. No matter what they are wearing, no matter how drunk they are, no matter if they have taken drugs, are unconscious, or if they say “Yes, we can have sex” and five minutes later say “No, we cannot have sex.” Don’t rape people.

I talk to my kids about underage drinking. I talk to my kids about taking drugs. But just as importantly, I tell my kids if someone is drunk or on drugs or stone cold sober, DO NOT RAPE THEM.

If someone is drunk and they are raped it is not their fault for being drunk. It is the rapist’s fault for raping them.

If someone is walking around naked and they are raped it is not their fault for walking around naked, it is the rapists’s fault for raping them.

Rape is NEVER a rape victim’s fault. Ever.

I’m not suggesting people should not use common sense when they are wandering this great big world. Be careful when consuming alcohol. Be careful when walking at night alone. Be careful when accepting drinks from people. But more importantly, and I cannot stress this enough, do not rape people.

And this is really all I have to say about that, because I totally used up my profanity quota for the year after reading her statements yesterday.

P.S: Teach your children not to rape people.

P.P.S: For all the people, especially the young people, who are fans of Serena and consider her a role model and an aspirational human being, considering many of you are victims of rape and sexual violence, I would like to tell you that no matter what she says, it is never, ever your fault. Ever. Serena is very very wrong.

UPDATE:

On her blog, Serena has issued this statement:

Screen Shot 2013-06-19 at 11.28.29 AM

Well, at least she made a retraction but I’m still totally disappointed in what she said. P.S: It is never the victim’s fault. Thanks to our lovely readers who pointed this out!

(Photo: WENN)

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