A Tory councillor sparked outrage when he posted on-line and stated an alleged rape sufferer was 'possible' working as a prostitute.
Shaun Slator tweeted on Hogmanay in response to an assault in a South London park on December 30.
The tweet was headed “Girl raped in Plumstead park in early hours” and included a police remark, however Slator replied: “Extra possible that it is a punter that did not pay.”
After he was approached by the Each day Mirror, Mr Slator, commented: “I’m not selling rape, am I?” He then admitted: “I don’t know that she is or she isn’t (a prostitute), do you?”
Labour MP Jess Phillips, the Shadow Minister for Home Violence and Safeguarding, stated: “These feedback are harmful and silly.
“First, prostituted and exploited ladies are raped and abused on a regular basis and ought to be cared for, the concept sexually exploited ladies and ladies cannot be abused is what led to grave cowl up and state failure. He ought to educate himself.
“Second, to stigmatise and blame any sufferer is despicable and it is the explanation why so few rapists ever face justice.
“He ought to deal with the horrible failure of Conservatives to safe conviction and cost in instances of sexual violence, they've crippled police and courts so badly. These attitudes don't have any place in society and even much less so in a consultant. The Conservatives should not permit it of their ranks.”
Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney stated: "It is a disgusting remark to make. The councillor ought to apologise instantly and retract these disgraceful feedback.
“I anticipate the Conservative Occasion to droop him immediately. These attitudes in the direction of rape shouldn't be tolerated wherever on this nation, and particularly in our politics. For elected representatives to spout such offensive remarks on this crime actually is surprising."
Girls's Equality Occasion chief Mandu Reid advised the Mirror: “I stay in South East London and I used to be devastated to listen to of this horrific incident - my ideas are with the lady who reported the assault. The feedback made by Shaun Slator are disgraceful and make me so indignant, they display that he's not match to function a councillor and ought to be faraway from his duties instantly.
“Rape and all different types of violence in opposition to ladies ought to at all times been taken significantly by everybody. To have an elected official publicly dismissing a rape allegation is totally unacceptable and sends a horrible message to the ladies and ladies he's alleged to characterize.
“The scourge of male violence in opposition to ladies in our society won't ever finish while attitudes like councillor Slator's are allowed to prevail.”
Mr Slator was unrepentant: “The world has an enormous drawback with prostitutes which I've been reporting for years, and the native police and council don’t appear to do something about it. I’ve despatched them video proof of the prostitutes chasing the fellows down the highway as a result of they've not paid, and stuff like that.
“That’s a frequent factor that occurs spherical right here - the lads don’t pay the prostitutes after which the ladies say they've been raped.
“There’s additionally different ones the place they get caught within the park, the man does a runner after which the lady says, ‘Oh, I used to be getting raped’.”
Requested if he knew that had occurred within the incident reported, unrepentant Mr Slator admitted: “I don’t know.”
However he went on: “There’s been a rape reported at 4am in Plumstead, and I believe it is not possible to have anybody strolling spherical on her personal.”
Requested if it was acceptable for a councillor to counsel an alleged rape sufferer was a prostitute, he insisted: “I stated it was a chance. I believe if there's a drawback with that and the police haven’t been fixing it for a few years, I believe that may be a drawback.”
He admitted he may see why some folks might need an issue along with his tweet, however added: “Would they quite folks had been working to take ladies off of medication, out of the abusive scenario that they’re in, or would they quite that continued?
“I might quite that stopped.”
Requested if he may perceive why campaigners might need an issue with the language he used, he hit again: “I’m not selling rape, am I? I’m not justifying all of it. You may put a headline there saying a lady has been raped however once you look behind it there’s an enormous drawback within the space with prostitutes, with ladies on medication, ladies being abused, ladies being pimped out.
“I’ve had a knife pulled on me by a pimp in Plumstead for strolling previous a prostitute. There’s an enormous drawback right here which the council and police aren’t tackling.”
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