Serena Williams is known for being an amazing tennis player, not a fantastic public spokeswoman, and we found out why last week. Discussing the famous Steubenville rape case – in which a 16-year-old girl was drugged and raped repeatedly by local high school football players as others videotaped and then posted the incident on the Internet – she came out with this hot mess to Rolling Stone:
“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.”
Oh, totes, Serena. Girls are DEFINITELY asking to be raped and humiliated about said rape just by going to a party, or by wearing “slutty” clothes, or by having a drink. That definitely gives dudes the right to stick their dicks in you while you’re unconscious and totally explains why the whole town would be on their side! It’s all her fault! How dare this girl be a normal teenager? At the very least, how dare she be surprised that dudes rape her when she does? Fuck off.
Anyway, Serena has realised the error of her ways (read: her publicist has told her to backpedal like crazy) and posted the following message on her personal website:
“What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened. For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved – that of the rape victim and of the accused. I am currently reaching out to the girl’s family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article. What was written – what I supposedly said – is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame.
I have fought all of my career for women’s equality, women’s equal rights, respect in their fields – anything I could do to support women I have done. My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent sixteen year old child.”
Well, I guess that’s nice. She still gets a side-eye from me.
i think serena was just saying the 16 yo was stupid for putting herself in that position …..drinking to the point she passed out at a party ..i dont think serena needs to apologize for that …not to me at least
I highly doubt she was apologizing to you . She was an idiot . The girl could have been as dumb as a box of rock but doesn’t mean someone can rape her . I feel horrible for this young girl that she probably feels like she is being a victim all over again . I don’t care what she drank , how much she drank their is no reason for her to be raped . Period !! A lot of young people look up to Serena so I would hope she was saying sorry to them and especially the young girl that was raped .
Sorry anonymous. Maybe she also learned to not drink until she passed out. It’s called common sense – something you and others should be calling for. Of course, the penalty for getting shitfaced isn’t to be raped, but MOST women know better.
thank you chuck ,no one deserves to be violated like that but we live in a very evil world ,so it would be wise not to put yourself in such a position….you wouldnt go to the worst part of town to withdraw a large amount of money then walk around with it in your hand saying ” i don’t deserve to get rob just cause have all this money in my hands” …or would you?
Don’t care if the woman is dead drunk shitfaced, passed out on the ground, you don’t rape her, period, end of story. You don’t rape women for any reason. Enough of the excuses for any crime, do the right thing and the world wouldn’t be so evil. So sick of hearing the excuses for arson, rape, murder etc. Wrong is wrong.
Are you serious John? Comparing waving around money in a dodgy neighbourhood to ‘asking for it’ when getting drunk? Let me help you – if a girl asks you to have sex with her, it’s a yes. If she says no, it means no. If she’s asleep, it means no. If she’s unconscious, it means no. If she wears a short skirt, it means no. If she is running around naked and not asking to get fucked, it means no.
A woman having a vagina is not an invitation for men to go up and rape her. The problem is with the boys, definitely not the girl.
veronica and webster cant read …… NO ONE DESERVES TO BE VIOLATED LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!! protect yourself and don’t be passed out drunk at a party where you obviously have no friends ……..and if you disagree …esp veronica go drink until you pass out at a local bar or club…and see what happens..by the way veronica she wasn’t just drunk she was passed out drunk ….
This did not happen in a bar. This happened at a private party.
Let me refresh your memory: The girl, incapacitated by alcohol, was raped by two high school football players. For a roughly six-hour period the unconscious girl was taken by the teenage boys from one party, photographed, then assaulted in a car, and taken to a basement where they continued.
We don’t know if she went alone to this party nor do we know if she tried to defend herself. They are in high school. It’s a rite of passage to get completely shitfaced. You can’t blame her for that.
“It’s a rite of passage to get completely shitfaced.”
Ugh. That is just sad and disgusting and then sad again. Oooh, an achievement of maturity and a milestone of life’s wonders, to get sick drunk. People that feel that way instantly reveal their IQ and their dignity levels.
I can read and I’m not that slow. I just don’t think anyone has the right to rape a person even if they are stupid and don’t take measures to protect themselves and “insure” it doesn’t happen to them. If you are a good and decent human being you will not take advantage of the weaker.
ok for the super slow folks …no one deserves to be violated or raped…..take measures and responsibility for yourself to insure it does not happen (i.e. passed out drunk at a “private party””don’t take drinks from strangers”)
Cheers. You’re missing the point.
as Dennis implied I am startled that anybody can make ($)8709 in one month on the computer. have you read this web page—–> http://WWW.CAN99COM
I don’t think people should be raped but if I put my hand on an open flame
I will get burnt. As a father of 3 girls I would end up going to jail if some 1 did that to my child. The saddest thing is step 1 why would a 16 yr old girl be drunk? Stop with the rape. It’s sad but that’s not the most important thing. Stop stop stop 1 step at a time. We parents need to be more like r parents was and it didn’t fall back on a bunch of excuses. Sry if you disagree just a sincere thought.
Of course no one deserves it, but how do women try and prevent the issue? Being smart about it. The end.
Every year thousands of children get hit by cars. Telling children to stop playing in the street is victim blaming.
This is just crazy. Please say you are joking. Telling children not to play in the street is good parenting. Expecting drivers in residential areas to be aware of the fact that children don’t always listen is also expected.
This really is not an either or situation. The fault for what happened lies squarely with the rapist. No if and or buts about it. Getting sloppy drunk is not a rite of passage for high school kids, or at least it shouldn’t be. If you are an adolescent you should have been taught by your parents that like it or not, the world is full of crazy people who will do horrible things. There is no guarantee you will be able to stop them…but the first step is to not VOLUNTARILY place yourself in a position where you can be their victim.
This crazy thing we’ve been doing for approximately 30-40 years of divorcing our selves of all responsibility to care be our own best keeper is insane.
SOMEBODY SHOULD THESE WILLIAMS MUTANTS ASAP AS FAR AS THEIR GENDER IS CONCERNED AND AS FAR AS DRUGS ARE CONCERNED. END OF STORY.
SHOULD TEST I MEAN
I hope these 2 football heros get raped in prison for six hours and anyone who is defending them can join them. Shit faced not shitfaced two guys raped one girl took pictures and sent them out.
Omg…. I cannot believe the world as it is today. I am a grandmother of 6 children, and understand please, I was actually in high school at one time. But… To think of the arrogance of these high school boys taking advantage of a young girl, while intoxicated is repulsive!!! Who taught these young men the value of life and respect??? Obviously it has not been in their upbringing, how sad. As for the victim…. It is not your fault! Life is tenuous as best, please seek professional counseling ASAP. This does not define you as a human being…it can make you stronger ! I have been there and done that. After 56 years I finally get it…. It wasn’t my fault!!!
Well said, Jonna.
Why do we fall into this game. Serena was not saying the girl deserved to be raped. She was saying we need to teach our children to accept they are responsible for taking the best care of themselves they can. Their is no defense of rape and you can be stone cold sober and a nun and be attacked…that said. It’s smart to not walk alone in dark areas if you are a woman and it’s smart not to get blacked out drunk. While there is no secret…precaution is a good thing.
At my college campus we are told to try to walk with friends late at night or call for security…are they promoting rape culture or are they teaching women how to try to avoid danger as much as is possible.
both the boys and the young lady need to own up to thier share of what happend that night both made a very bad mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, how dare she get drunk and fall asleep and lets guys rape her and take pictures of her.
Holy F##k this is the same roid raging psycho that threatened to shove a tennis ball down the throat of an old Asian lady line judge. If Serena thinks this girls parents failed to teacher what to do and not do I suggest Serena’s parents missed out on the opportunity to teach her to shut the F##k up when you don’t know the facts. Jeez rape is rape and these 2 assclowns will learn that in jail
Terrible on Serena’s part. She definitely has a bad case of foot in mouth disease. Rape is rape. I am terribly disappointed as a (prior) Serena fan that Serena has such an antiquated view on this subject.
This whole conversation seems to be revolving around how stupid this girl was but what about how stupid and offensive and DANGEROUS those guys were? Why is no one saying that they need be taught anything? I just don’t get why if something bad happens to a woman then it’s her fault (whether it’s actually stated or implied.) Why is it always the women who have to be responsible for the actions of men? Why does everyone keep saying teach women to be more responsible about their own safety? While that is very true, we also need to teach males that rape and sexual assault are NOT acceptable! We need to teach guys that NO MATTER WHAT a woman NEVER deserves to be abused! If she was lying naked on the bed she would not be responsible for a male’s decision to rape her. Yes, teaching women to be safe is a great thing to do but we also need to teach men to be smart and responsible as well.
Williams is an idiot. If the rapists were white she no doubt would of blamed them because she’s a racist steroid abuser with a chip on her shoulder.