I apologise for lawyer’s rape victim comments

I’ve never met Keith Jefferies.

Though I wouldn’t mind meeting the New Zealand lawyer to try and understand him.

In defence of a man charged with raping a twenty year old woman, Jefferies reportedly told the jury that if the victim didn’t want sex, “All she would have had to do was to close her legs . . . it’s as simple as that.”

No Keith, with the utmost respect, I suggest it’s not that simple.

He then asked the jury “why didn’t she do that?”

Jefferies said his comments were used in defence of his client, who claimed that the sex was consensual and not his personal view. His client was subsequently convicted. He also said that the Crown and the judge didn’t complain about them.

That might be the case, and even taking into account the heat of the battle and all that, but where the hell do you even start getting your head around such comments?

As a man, I personally find it so unbelievably wrong to even think, let alone vaguely suggest that a woman can simply close her legs to avoid having sex, or in this case, avoid being assaulted.
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The timing of these remarks would never have been good, but especially not in light of the on-going “Roast Busters” scandal — also in New Zealand — where a group of young men allegedly bragged on social media about their sexual encounters with underage girls who were allegedly stupefied by alcohol.

There has been a white-hot blaze of outrage about this and recent horrific attacks in India.

Quite rightly. The fact that the words “rape culture” are now in common usage is quite terrifying.

Speaking of words, thankfully I have never been the victim of rape; I can’t even vaguely begin to imagine what one would endure.

Words that instantly conjure in my mind to describe “rape” include “power”, “force”, “degradation”, “violence”, “humiliation” and “domination” — and that’s off the top of my head — “closing your legs” isn’t among them.

On behalf of the male gender, I apologise for the comments of that lawyer.

©Steve Williams 2013