Chrissie Hynde Refuses To Back Down From Controversial Rape Comments
Chrissie Hynde is standing by the controversial comments she made about rape. Hynde said she doesn’t read what other people are writing about her, and anyone who doesn’t want her opinion shouldn’t ask for it, The Washington Post is reporting.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the 63-year-old Hynde, lead singer of The Pretenders, raised eyebrows last weekend when, in an interview with The Sunday Times, she suggested that women who are raped bear at least some of the responsibility for what happened to them.
“If I’m walking around in my underwear and I’m drunk. Who else’s fault can it be? If I’m walking around and I’m very modestly dressed and I’m keeping to myself and someone attacks me, then I’d say that’s his fault. But if I’m being very lairy and putting it about and being provocative, then you are enticing someone who’s already unhinged – don’t do that. Come on! That’s just common sense.”
Hynde’s remarks drew sharp criticism from rape victim advocacy groups as well as social media users.
For the rape apologists emboldened by Chrissie Hynde’s daft comments, here’s a handy pie chart for you. pic.twitter.com/g6QgzHT3Qe
— Fiona Sturges (@FionaSturges) August 31, 2015
Speaking to The Washington Post on Wednesday, Hynde stood by her remarks, saying that she doesn’t care what other people think about her or what she says.
“They’re entitled to say whatever they want. Do I regret saying it? I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it… If you don’t want my opinion, don’t ask me for it “
Hynde also noted that the backlash scared her friends, some of whom thought she might be in personal danger.
“I’ve just had some e-mails from friends saying, ‘Do you want to hide at my place?'”
Hynde then went on to insist that there are larger issues going on in the world besides her comments about rape.
“At the moment, we’re in one of the worst humanitarian crises in our lifetime. You see that picture of a Turkish policeman carrying the body of a 3-year-old boy who got washed up on the shore. These are the heartbreaking images we have and we’re talking about millions of displaced persons and people whose families have been destroyed and we’re talking about comments that I allegedly made about girls in their underwear.”
Do you believe Chrissie Hynde’s remarks about rape are offensive or did she have a valid point of view?
[Image courtesy of Getty Images/Terry Wyatt]
