Rape culture has been all over the news lately due the horrific Steubenville rape case and subsequent trial. However, rape culture has far-reaching effects across age demographics and nationalities, as proven by Australian radio host John Laws. Laws, who Salon calls “Australia’s answer to Rush Limbaugh,” has been called out for a radio interview with a victim of sexual abuse this week in which he displayed a penchant for victim blaming and general insensitivity. According to Annette Sharp at The Daily Telegraph, Laws responded to the caller’s story of sexual abuse at the hands of multiple male family members with a sickening, “My God they were having a good time with you.” He then proceeded to ask the woman, who was abused from age six to sixteen, “Was it in any way your fault…you weren’t provocative?” Laws rounded out this segment of hard-hitting journalism by asking the caller “Are you unattractive?” The 77-year-old radio host later apologized for the interview, explaining, “I’m not out to offend people but if I did, obviously I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention.” However, he insisted to The Daily Telegraph yesterday that, “He did not regret his line of questioning.” Seems like unapologetic victim blaming isn’t just an American fad.
Via Salon, Image Via News.com.au
