Serena Williams Blames Rape Comment On ‘Rolling Stone’ Writer

Serena Williams caused a bit of controversy this week when she blamed the 16-year-old victim in the Steubenville rape case for putting herself in a bad position. The tennis star said that she never meant to blame the victim and said that her words were misinterpreted in the Rolling Stone magazine article.

Williams said in a statement: “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.”

The tennis star was criticized this week after a snippet of her upcoming Rolling Stone interview was published by Deadspin.com.

Serena said: “I’m not blaming the girl…but if you’re a 16-year-old and you’re drunk like that, your parents should teach you: Don’t take drinks from other people … She’s lucky… she shouldn’t have put herself in that position.”

But Williams says that she was misquoted. In her statement today the tennis star emphasized that what happened in Steubenville was a tragedy and that she was praying for the innocent 16-year-old child.

Williams said: “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 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 added. “My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent 16 year old child.”

What do you think of Serena Williams rape comments? Do you believe her statement? Do you think she was misquoted?