Zahra Banday, BA English
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
‘Call the Midwife’ actress Jenny Agutter has recently come out criticising victims of the #MeToo movement. Talking to the Radio Times, Agutter discussed how she doesn’t “fully understand” how these women could be sexually assaulted.
She stated, “I never fully understood the people who got themselves into problems. In the States, there were occasions when you might be asked to go to a private screening or someone’s place and you just didn’t do it – unless you found the person very attractive, in which case you did do it. But if they’re not really attractive, there’s nothing to be gained from it, because it’s obvious what you’re indicating by going”.
Alongside this Agutter states that its “terrible” of these men to use their power in that way and that it is “wrong, no question about it”. However, the implication is still there that if a woman does not want to get sexually abused she should not show up alone to any private meeting with a man. In short, this is clear victim-blaming.