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Women Side Against Rape Victims: Mirren

'Jealous' female jurors would 'say she was asking for it'

By Laurel Jorgensen,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 16, 2008 7:04 PM CST
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(Newser) – Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren caused a stir in London today by saying female jurors are unlikely to side with rape victims. “Women on a rape case would say she was asking for it,” Mirren told the London Times. “The only reason I can think of is that they’re sexually jealous.” One advocate for rape victims called the remark "destructive" and said it could dissuade women from reporting the crime.

“She might have a point about women, but I don’t know what she is trying to prove by talking again about how cases are treated in the courts," the advocate told the Telegraph. Mirren, who says she has been "date-raped a couple of times," did not go to police because "it is a tricky area especially if there is no violence.” Polls show that up to a third of Britons believe rape victims are responsible for the crime if they get drunk or wear suggestive clothing.


British actress Helen Mirren attends Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani's Fall-Winter 2008/2009 fashion collection presented in Paris, Monday, June 30, 2008.
British actress Helen Mirren attends Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani's Fall-Winter 2008/2009 fashion collection presented in Paris, Monday, June 30, 2008.   (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
British actress Helen Mirren arrives for the 80th Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, in Los Angeles.
British actress Helen Mirren arrives for the 80th Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
British actress Helen Mirren arrives for the screening of the film Chacun Son Cinema (To Each His Own Cinema), at the 60th International Film Festival in Cannes last year.
British actress Helen Mirren arrives for the screening of the film "Chacun Son Cinema" ("To Each His Own Cinema"), at the 60th International Film Festival in Cannes last year.   (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
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Whether in a deep-seated animalistic way, going back billions of years, or from a sense of tribal jealousy or just antagonism, other women on a rape case would say she was asking for it. - Helen Mirren

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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Guest
Nov 17, 2008 1:25 AM CST
Dear, Helen "especially if there is no violence" . You did not the act of RAPE in itself was violence ? Well if that works for you great for you. The sad truth is when a rape occurs it may be the first, but odds are it will not be the last . I as a man am appalled of the amount of women I meet who say they have been raped. With the current science of forensics I would hope and encourage all VICTIMS to go to the police right away you may not have been able to stop your rape but you may be able to save the next and the next and the next victims. Most people who have been through the Prosecution of one of these scum, seem from my view to be better off in the long run. Helen is an actress and she sounds like one.The world after all evolves around them , especially with an Oscar.Like anything PLEASE get the facts and get help if you are the predator or the victim. Do unto others!
Guest
Nov 16, 2008 8:18 PM CST
interesting, its easy to fall into this trap of thinking that Europeans are far ahead of America, in terms of social ethics, I guess. But this story argues against that. I dont know of any figures but I've lived all 19 of my years in the US and never once heard anyone try to actually support the 'asking for it' argument. I thought it was an ethical philosophy theoretical question or something like that.

Mirren admits to date rape, cocaine
Associated Press

 
rape • jury • Helen Mirren

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