Cherie Blair’s ‘rape’ comment ‘stokes stereotypes of African aggression’

 Cherie Blair has been accused of reinforcing stereotypes by telling schoolchildren that “most African ladies’ first sexual experience is rape”.

The barrister and women’s rights campaigner made the remark during a talk about women and leadership to pupils at the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School in London.

The lecture took place on March 20 and was hailed as “very popular” by the school.

One audience member at the event, Caitlin, who did not wish to give her surname, told The Guardian that she was surprised by Mrs Blair’s comment.

“No one seemed to react and I was shocked because I felt like she was in a position of authority and should take responsibility for saying things like that without any evidence,” she said.

It is reported that when contacted, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women said Mrs Blair’s comment referred “to the women she had met and heard directly from in the initial years of the foundation’s work rather than a specific research piece”.

Chi Onwurah, the Labour MP and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for Africa, said: “Violence against women is a huge problem in many African countries

– as it is here – but to characterise African women’s sexual experience as rooted in rape undermines the hard work of many to tackle this issue while playing to and indeed stoking stereotypes of sexually aggressive African men and passive women.”

The Daily Telegraph has requested a comment from Mrs Blair.