Serena Williams Apologizes For Her Insensitive Rape Comment

Serena Williams has claimed her words were misconstrued after an interview was published in Rolling Stone magazine in which she was quoted as suggesting the 16-year-old victim in a rape case in the US was asking to be assaulted.

In the article, the world No 1 was quoted as saying the victim 'shouldn't have put herself in that position' and described her as 'lucky.'

But after the article sparked an intense backlash, Williams released a statement on her blog apologizing for her insensitivity. In the statement Williams says she is currently reaching out to the family of the young victim for a personal apology as well:



“What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened. 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. 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.

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. My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent sixteen year old child.”


High school American football players Trent Mays and Ma'Lik Richmond were each sentenced to a year in juvenile detention in March for raping the intoxicated teen in Steubenville, Ohio. The two friends were caught after other students who watched the assault laughed and joked about the horrific crime in an online video.