Uproar from the statements of her partner Georgia Meloni: “If women are careful and don’t get drunk, the risk of rape is reduced”

The partner of the Italian prime minister Georgia Meloni was charged with victim blaming after comments he made about the rape of minors on his TV show. Andrea Giabruno, who presents the show “Diario del giorno” (Daily diary) on the station Rete 4, was commenting on gang rape of a woman in the capital of Sicily, Palermo, which made headlines.

“If you’re going to dance, you have every right to get drunk -there should be no misunderstanding and no problem of any kind- but if you avoid getting drunk and passed out, you might also avoid some problems and you come face to face with a wolf“, he said on his show on Monday afternoon. Opposition politicians condemned the comments.

“I tell Jabruno that boys should be trained to show respect, instead of girls being taught to be careful. Teach them (men) the value of consent, instead of girls being careful,” said Cecilia D’Elia, a senator from the opposition Democratic Party.

Jabruno, whose television career has taken off since Meloni became head of the right-wing government last October, responded that his comments had been taken out of context to create a “surreal” juxtaposition.

“I didn’t say that men are free to rape women who are drunk,” he told Corriere della Sera in an interview today. “Some politicians are spreading fake news and want to hang me, but for what? Because I told young people not to take drugs?” he added. Meloni, who has a young daughter with Jabruno, has not commented on the situation. It is not the first time that Giabruno’s comments have caused reactions.

In July, she told German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to “stay at home, stay in the Black Forest” when he questioned the sustainability of tourism in southern Europe due to intense heat waves.