Watch a politician completely shut down rape victim-blaming TV interview
A New York City councilwoman has appeared on TV to shut down a conversation with a victim-blaming news anchor.
Speaking to CNN anchor Pamela Brown, NYC councilwoman Laurie Cumbo didn’t pull any punches when discussing the alleged gang rape of an 18-year-old earlier in January.
Five have been arrested and charged in the rape, but at the time news outlets discussed allegations against the victim that she was drunk, and that she bit a policeman.
“There is a way that people respond to violence against women and it’s not appropriate. We feel that it needs to be stronger, it needs to be more effective,” Cumbo said.
“There needs to be legislation, there needs to be strategy, there needs to be implementation as well as enforcement. Every woman in the city of New York should feel safe whether they are coming home late at night, early in the morning, coming from a party, or going to work extremely late.”
She was then asked by Brown: “Law enforcement sources have told CNN that this alleged victim in this case was drunk, combative, and bit a police officer and that she initially refused treatment. What can you tell us about that?”
After which Cumbo totally shut down any victim-blaming.
She retorted: “I would say that that’s typical of just what I just spoke about. That individuals often talk about the woman. They rarely talk about the individuals who actually committed the rape. Those are the individuals that need to be focused on right now.”
“We shouldn’t talk about whether she was drunk, whether she was properly dressed, we shouldn’t talk about the time of the evening that it happened,” she continued. “That is too typical of the situation of how we discuss rape in this city, the nation, and really the world. We need to focus in this situation on those five individuals that committed this heinous crime, and what were the bad decisions that they made all throughout the day. Have they been drinking? Have they been smoking?”
It’s fair to say Brown looked a little taken aback after Cumbo’s response.
Check out the exchange below:
Was just watching CNN, and this woman on the right just shut down this CNN reporter who asked her about the victim of a rape. Seriously everyone must watch this, all women matter.Edit: The Women on the rights name is Laurie Cumbo, she is in the New York City Council.
Posted by Ben Pall on Monday, January 11, 2016
