‘Avoid Getting Drunk, Losing Senses’: Remarks by Italy PM’s Partner on Rape Spark Row – News18

Andrea Giambruno, the partner of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has become embroiled in a controversy over his remarks on rape, which are being viewed as victim-blaming.

Giambruno is facing criticism for suggesting that women who become intoxicated are more susceptible to rape. However, the 41-year-old TV presenter has denied engaging in victim-blaming despite making these comments on his show on Monday.

He was quoted by the British newspaper Daily Mail as saying, “If you go dancing, you have every right to get drunk, there shouldn’t be any kind of misunderstanding and any kind of problem.”

During his remarks on the Rete 4 commercial station, he further stated, “…if you avoid getting drunk and losing your senses, you might also avoid running into certain problems and risk the wolf finding you.”

After receiving criticism, Giambruno hit back saying he did not justify the act of rape, that he called it ‘deplorable’ and had described rapists as ‘beasts’. He also said that he “never said that it is legitimate for men to rape women who are drunk.”

The Italian prime minister is yet to comment on the issue. But Giambruno’s comments have led to severe backlash from the public and politicians. Opposition politician and Democratic Party senator Cecilia D’Elia was among those who slammed the Italian PM’s partner.

Cecilia said that boys “should be educated to show respect, rather than girls taught to be careful… Teach them (men) the value of consent, rather than girls to be wary.”

‘There is nothing that can justify a man turning to violence,” Italian politician and granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, Alessandra Mussolini, was quoted as saying by the UK newspaper.

Alessandra said, “Rape is rape and if that is not understood then for us women, it’s all over.” “We should no longer be hearing these things in 2023.”