Sky News presenter Stephen Dixon faces backlash over ‘appalling’ sex assault comments

Stephen Dixon has faced a backlash over his comments on sexual assault
Saphora Smith20 January 2017

Sky News presenter Stephen Dixon has faced a major backlash after he questioned whether drunk women wearing short skirts should take partial responsibility for sexual assault.

The host was speaking on air during a debate on a new sexism study which found that two in five men believe a drunk woman wearing a short skirt is to blame if they are sexually assaulted.

Speaking on Sunrise, Sky’s breakfast news show, on Friday morning Mr Dixon asked a female guest: “Is it a dreadful thing to say if women are out in short skirts and drunk that they don’t need to take any personal responsibility?”

The woman responded: “Yes. Let me ask you a question. If you’re walking down the street and you get punched in the face are you responsible for having left your house?”

Mr Dixon replied: “I’d be responsible if I was out provoking someone.”

The guest then retorted: “It is not provocative to drink and it is not provocative to wear what women chose to wear. It’s not about provoking behaviour.”

Mr Dixon's comments sparked criticism from anti-sexual violence campaigners and women's rights activists who described them as "outdated" and "depressing".

But a spokesperson from Sky News said Mr Dixon was playing "devil's advocate" and said "he was not reflecting a personal view."

Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, which published the sexism report said: “It seems that Stephen Dixon has a lot to learn about personal responsibility.

“The only person responsible if a woman is attacked is her attacker.”

She added: “We need a media that reports violence against women and girls responsibly not one where they just reinforce these hostile attitudes.

“It is this kind of thing that can deter women from reporting attacks and can let men feel they can act with impunity.”

Katie Russell for Rape Crisis UK said: “It is deeply depressing that people are still expressing views like this in 2017 and apparently considering them perfectly acceptable.

“It is a completely outdated, sexist myth, as offensive to men as it is to women, that what a woman wears or how she behaves is provocation for sexual violence, as if men have no free will, self-control or personal responsibility.”

A spokeswoman for women’s campaign group End Violence Against Women UK added: “This reporter should set a tone much higher than the victim-blaming attitudes which support and perpetuate violence against women.”

Campaigners and politicians also took to social media to express their distaste.

Carolien Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, wrote on Twitter: “As if further evidence was needed in support of #PSHEBill which is being debated today. Here’s @skystephen’s appalling views.”

A spokesperson for Sky News said: “In his capacity as presenter, Stephen was playing devil’s advocate during a discussion of the controversial findings of the Fawcett report. He was not reflecting a personal view.”

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