Former BBC Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross issued a statement on Monday defending himself over controversial remarks made in his new book suggesting “rape isn’t always rape”.
The broadcaster suggested in the book, serialised in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, that half of all women who have had penetrative sex unwillingly, do not think they were raped.
The comments, which have been criticised by some anti-rape campaigners, follow an outcry in 2011 when Ken Clarke, the then-justice secretary, faced calls to resign for using the words “serious rape”.
In a statement, Ross, 65, said his book was “serious, carefully researched and evidence-based” and described rape as “one of the most defiling crimes”.
Ross — who presented Crimewatch from 1984 to 2003, and was known for his sign-off ‘don’t have nightmares, do sleep well’ — said he was not trying to attribute blame to the victims and tried to quell the furore by saying rape could never be justified.
“Far from attacking victims, the chapter explores why so few victims report rape, why so few prosecutions take place, and whether criminal courts are the best way of helping to deal with the appalling suffering caused by sex attacks,” he said.
Groups who campaign to stop violence against women have expressed outrage over his book.
Sarah Green, campaigner with End Violence Against Women, said: “It ‘s really disappointing – more than that, it’s horrible – that a reputable journalist like Nick Ross, with expertise associated with crime through Crimewatch, is trotting out the same spurious myths about rape.”
On twitter @Claire_Phipps said “No, Nick Ross, nothing a women does/wears is incitement to rape.”
Ex-Crimewatch presenter sparks fury over rape comments
