British TV Show That Asked If Rape Could Be a Victim's Fault Won't be Investigated

Remember when British TV show Loose Women asked viewers if rape could be the victim’s fault? Following some speculation that the show could be in deep shit with regulators, it’s been announced that the show won’t be investigated, after all.

According to the Guardian, regulating agency Ofcom received over 70 complaints about the show’s poll asking viewers “Is it ever a woman’s fault if she is raped?” The question was based on Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde’s recent interview where she blamed herself for a sexual assault she suffered in her youth.

Ofcom said an investigation wasn’t needed because 87.85 percent of those who responded to the poll said that rape can never be a woman’s fault, and because, additionally, Loose Women has a reputation for “addressing difficult subjects” and the hosts never “indicated women were to blame.” Here is Ofcom’s statement:

“We carefully considered a number of complaints that it was offensive for this programme to ask the audience ‘are women ever to blame’ in cases of rape.

“We noted the panel did not say that rape victims were in any way responsible for the behaviour of their attackers; and the audience strongly concurred with the sentiment ‘no means no’ expressed by many on the panel.

“We found the panel discussion and references to an online poll were in line with audience expectations for this live panel programme, which often covers difficult topics. Therefore, we are not taking the matter forward for investigation.”