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Original poster

Seriously angered me. SMP has inferred Rape victim must have been a prostitute (with subtle hint that it would therefore be her own fault)

84 replies

yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 15:18

I just saw this and i am apoplectic with rage.
this man needs sacking.

Story here

OP posts:
Original poster
yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 15:30

Asked to comment on the series of so-called ?lane rapes?, Aitken said: ?I really think we need to know a bit more about these. They are not always as they seem to be, put it that way.?

He disputed the location of the attack, and said: ?If this woman was dragged halfway through the town then it just couldn?t possibly happen. So has nobody asked her what she was doing in Renfrew Lane?

?Somebody should be asking her what she was doing in Renfrew Lane. Did she go there with somebody? ... Now, Renfrew Lane is known as a place where things happen, put it that way.?

Asked to clarify, he said: ?It?s an area where a lot of the hookers take their clients. Now that may not have happened in this case. But you know ... what was happening? There?s always a lot more to these city-centre rapes than meets the eye.?

So if you are raped just hope it isn't in a city centre or else you will be considered a prostitute.

(I shant even start on the fact that he has used the term "hooker")

OP posts:
Prolesworth · 13/02/2011 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 15:32

anger just doesn't seem to cover it does it?

OP posts:
Prolesworth · 13/02/2011 15:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

AliceWorld · 13/02/2011 15:42

We are back in the the 1970s, aren't we? I did get that right? Angry

Original poster
yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 15:43

I was outraged initially but then i saw that he is the minister that actually helps decide rape laws!

It is so frustrating that such opinions are still so prevelant.

i cannot begin to think how that poor woman feels. being marked a prostitute and having yoru case dismissed as your own fault merely for being raped in "the wrong place"

OP posts:
TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 13/02/2011 16:29

Angry Angry Angry

dittany · 13/02/2011 16:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 17:07

I have fired off a letter of complaint. I am in England not Scotland but i think this is about far more than local politics.

OP posts:
AliceWorld · 13/02/2011 18:29

Me too.

Beamur · 13/02/2011 18:32

Good grief. This man has no idea.

notanumber · 13/02/2011 19:02

Aiken has form for rape apology.

In 2001, it was proposed that men accused of rape could be asked to reveal their previous convictions if they to try use evidence about a woman's sexual history.

Aitken, expressed concern that introducing previous convictions would be "highly prejudicial to the accused" in terms of their impact on a jury.

Arsehole.

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 13/02/2011 20:19

God that's awful!

Aitken: ?I did not intend to imply that the circumstances of any victim in any assault in any way lessens the horror or severity of the crime." No you meant to imply that no crime had taken place at all!

Poor woman!

ManateeEquineOhara · 13/02/2011 20:37

What a fuckwit Angry

SardineQueen · 13/02/2011 21:44

"Aitken also said a lot of rape allegations are falsely made by drunk women ? but had no research to back this up: ?The police say there?s a lot of drunken carry-ons that result in rape allegations which are subsequently dropped, put it that way,? he said.

He added: ?I think there might be fear, if they are worried that somebody talks ?and the word gets back to the boyfriend.?

Holy fucking fuck. This man needs to be out of a position where he is able to affect anything to do with the way rape is handled anywhere. Fucking hell.

SardineQueen · 13/02/2011 21:44

It's actually very frightening isn't it.

SueWhite · 13/02/2011 21:46

He's a dick, put it that way

crapbarry · 13/02/2011 21:51

Angry that's horrific. and the leader of the scottish conservatives does herself no favours with her mealymouthed comment.

poor woman (the victim), hope she has lots of support from family and friends at the moment :(

RipMacWinkle · 13/02/2011 21:52

I am completely and utterly shocked by this.

This is a man who helps shape the rape laws in our country. Completely unacceptable.

The more I think about this, the less shocked and more angry I am.

Original poster
yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 22:20

I am more angry about this than i have been in quite some time.

I seriously cannot find any excuse for this man to still be in a position of power.

I sincerely hope that if Aitkin is married he is spending a lot of time in the spare room.
How any woman could lie next to a man with such views on victims of rape is beyond me.

OP posts:
Katz · 13/02/2011 22:28

When challenged on his comments by the Sunday Herald, Aitken denied making them until he read a transcript of the conversation. Asked whether there is a difference between the rape of women who work as prostitutes and those who don?t, he said: ?Well, the prostitute has possibly put herself in a position of some vulnerability.?

words just fail me right now!

Original poster
yogididabooboo · 13/02/2011 22:31

yup.

The more you read the more totally and utterly astounded you get huh.

OP posts:
sakura · 14/02/2011 04:12

I've just sent an letter. He should lose his job, he's incompetent for the role to which he was elected. WOmen are citizens as well, or has that fact somehow passed him by

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 14/02/2011 08:25

fuck I don't know if I've got time to write a letter now but this man needs to lose his job NOW.

AliceWorld · 14/02/2011 08:30

I just sent a very short email. IMO they'll see what the issues are from other correspondence/coverage so I didn't feel the need to explain that to them so much as add weight to the response, when I have limited time.

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