In the Bleachers

Serena Williams apologizes for insensitive remarks about Steubenville rape case

Serena Williams

Serena Williams is in the news again but this time it isn’t for the dominating force she is on the tennis court. In a recent interview with “Rolling Stone,” Williams made controversial comments about the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case.

“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. 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.”

Of course, women’s rights group, rape victim advocates and more went crazy. We know the drill at this point. You slip up in the media, apologize immediately. And that’s exactly what Serena did. The tennis ace issued an apology via her website.

“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! 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.

“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.”

The rape case involved two athletes on the Steubenville, Ohio, high school football team who were convicted in March of raping a drunk 16-year-old girl.  The case gained national attention when social media was used to spread the details.

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