should women drink less to protect themselves from rape?
A judge caused outrage and was accused of victim-blaming last week when she issued a warning to women about how excessive drinking could make them a target for rapists.
Speaking at the end of a trial in which she sentenced a man to six years in prison for raping a drunk 18-year-old girl, Judge Lindsey Kushner QC, 64 – who has been a senior judge since 2002 – said rapists “gravitate” towards drunk women.
She said: “I don’t think it’s wrong for a judge to beg women to take actions to protect themselves. Girls are perfectly entitled to drink themselves into the ground but should be aware people who are potential defendants to rape, gravitate towards girls who have been drinking... We see it time and time again.”
Her comments outraged charities who believe they may deter rape victims from reporting attacks, but others have argued Kushner’s advice is sensible. We ask whether women need to take responsibility for their drinking when it comes to sexual assaults…