Tennis star Serena Williams is “deeply sorry” for what she said about the victim of the Steubenville rape case. She was quoted in a Rolling Stone article saying “she shouldn’t have put herself in that position”.
“I have fought all of my career for women’s equality, women’s equal rights, respect in their fields — anything I could do to support women I have done,” she said in the statement. “My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent sixteen year old child.”
In March, two players from the Steubenville, Ohio high school football team were convicted for raping a drunk 16-year-old girl. One of the boys was ordered to serve an additional year for photographing the girl naked.
In a statement released recently, Serena said:
“I am currently reaching out to the girl’s family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article.
“What was written — what I supposedly said — is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame.”
“What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened,” Williams said in the statement. “For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved — that of the rape victim and of the accused.”
In her Rolling Stone story, she adds that she’s not blaming the girl, but suggests that a 16-year-old should learn to not take drinks from other people. (Source)
