Outrage as judge says rape victim was ‘foolish’ for getting drunk

A judge sparked outrage today after he called a rape victim ‘extremely foolish’ for drinking too much.

VICTIMBLAMING

by Closer staff |
Published on

Mr Justice Males made the remarks as he sentenced the 18-year-old’s attackers. He said the amount of alcohol consumed left the victim – who cannot be identified to legal reasons – “vulnerable and defenceless” before branding her decision to drink so much “unwise”.

When she went to police to report the attack she was twice the legal drink drive limit.

He added: “She became so drunk that she was vulnerable and defenceless to your exploitation. Your victim was very unwise to allow herself to drink so much that she became so thoroughly inebriated.

“She was stumbling and unsteady on her feet, and was throwing herself at a number of young men.”

His comments have caused fury among women’s rights groups and victim support groups as “totally unacceptable”.

“His totally unnecessary comments are exactly the kind of attitude that prevents rape victims coming forward,” Clare Phillipson, director of Wearside Women in Need told the Sun.

“This young woman suffered a horrendous ordeal and the only people responsible for rape is the rapist. Women get raped whether they are drunk or sober, thin or fat, old or young, it doesn't matter, we get raped.

“It is completely unacceptable for people to continually look at the behaviour of the victim instead of looking at the behaviour of the offender.”

Today, Kristofer McLaren and Craig Whitelaw, both 21, were sentenced to nine years behind bars.

Teeside Crown Court heard how the pair subjected the victim to a 50 minute attack, where they took it in turns to rape her in an alleyway in

Northallerton, in North Yorkshire. In his summing up, the judge said McLaren and Whitelaw treated the young woman “like a piece of meat”.

Both men have also been forced to sign the sex offenders register and both will remain on it for life.

But he added: "I do not doubt that neither of you would have behaved as you did if you had been sober. No doubt you both regret it."

The men saluted their families in the public gallery as they were led away to begin their sentences.

Campaigners slammed the judge's comments.

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