Judge accused of victim-blaming after warning women 'get drunk and risk rape'

Risk: Judge Kushner said rapists targeted people who were vulnerable and urged women to "have this in mind"
Shutterstock
Tom Powell11 March 2017
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

A female judge who warned women they are at greater risk of being raped if they get drunk has been accused of victim-blaming by a police commissioner.

Lindsey Kushner said there was "absolutely no excuse" for sex attacks but warned that men gravitate towards vulnerable women, as she jailed a rapist in Manchester.

In her final case before retiring, the judge insisted that while women were entitled to "drink themselves into the ground", their "disinhibited behaviour" could put them in danger and they were "less likely to be believed" than a sober victim.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Dame Vera Baird said the comments were "victim-blaming" and would stop victims coming forward.

The former solicitor-general told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "When somebody is raped they feel guilt and shame and they find it very hard to report it.

"If a judge has just said to them 'Well, if you drank you are more likely to get raped, we are not likely to believe you and you have been disinhibited so you've rather brought it on yourself' then that guilt is just going to get worse."

The ex-Labour MP said the judge should have given advice to help women stay safe instead of implying "it's your fault for having attracted him in the first place".

"She does say 'Yes, you can drink yourself daft and you can use your body how you want but if you do you are more likely to get raped'. Now, I'm sorry, but that is putting responsibility on it."

Judge Kushner said rapists targeted people who were vulnerable and urged women to "have this in mind".

She said: "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.

"It shouldn't be like that but it does happen and we see it time and time again."

Drunk girls and women were "less likely to fight a man with evil intentions off" and they were also less likely to report an attack because they may not be able to remember what happened or "if push comes to shove, a girl who has been drunk is less likely to be believed than one who is sober at the time".

"I beg girls and women to have this in mind."

Additional reporting by the Press Association

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in