Dang it Serena..... "Steubenville Rape Victim 'Shouldn't Have Put Herself In That Position'"

[a kennedy]

Fresh off her landmark triumph at the French Open, Serena Williams is garnering attention for the wrong reasons.

The 31-year-old tennis star made insensitive remarks about the victim in the widely publicized Steubenville rape case that appear in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. During an interview with Rolling Stone contributor Stephen Rodrick, a television news segment prompted Williams to discuss the case involving the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl by high school football players.

"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," Williams said to Rodrick. "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."

After sharing her remarks on the Steubenville case, Rodrick noted that "Serena's Hannity-like take on the case isn't her only rightward lean." He attributed her "no-­safety-net political philosophy" to her childhood in Compton.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/18/serena-williams-steubenville-rape-victim_n_3462519.html

D*mn, this sure doesn't help rape victims, having a high profile woman say this.

[CrazyJudy]

1. why did they ask her about Steubenville and why did she respond? :(

Stick to tennis...

[WovenGems]

2. Yea

But she was right. Parents need to teach their safety rules. Like Serena said "you don't take drinks from someone else" then she added "Unless some slipped it to her". At sixteen if Serena had been at that party some poor boys would have had butts kicked by a girl. The biggest thing to teach is what I call "situational awareness".

[juajen]

3. Even much older women can succumb to stupidity.

When you feel safe in your surroundings and are drinking, judgment sometimes flies out the window. That's why a lot of people drink. They want oblivion. However, they do not want to be raped. This was a stupid remark by Serena. Real men do not need to rape women who are under the influence, period. It doesn't take that much to get a woman or young girl drunk. We are more susceptible to alcohol, and weigh much less than most when we do drink, enhancing the affect of liquor.

Edited to add: What teenager actually listens to their parents, especially when they are out with friends and want to appear "cool". Really, how simplistic this statement was.

[joeybee12]

5. Well thank God the boys who raped her share no blame in this!

No, she wasn't right, not by a long shot...Serena is an ass...and anyone who says otherwise, is an apologist for all the wrong reason.

[Carnage251]

9. So says the Notre Dame rape apologist

......... ..

[RockaFowler]

4. Serena Williams denies making Steubenville rape comments, sort of apologizes anyway

http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/06/serena-williams-denies-making-steubenville-rape-comments-sort-of-apologizes-anyway.html

"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!" she says in a statement. "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."

Williams continues, "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."

[joeybee12]

6. Thank God her PR people got to her...

Serena has always been an idiot...

[City Lights]

7. That sounds exactly like the kind of apology I'd expect from her.

I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article. What was written - what I supposedly said...

[KamaAina]

8. Hannity-like take? More like a Miss Utah-like take.

"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."

[Iggo]

10. She's always been a fucking idiot in front of the microphone.

She's a great tennis player. That's it.

[TBF]

11. Yup - her publicist should keep a tighter rein on her. nt

[KamaAina]

12. Are there any Americans besides her and her sister who can play tennis?

I've about had it with them. And other than them, women's tennis is just like men's: Foreigner No. 1 vs. Foreigner No. 2.