Photo: WENN
Perhaps it's time we stopped hoping that Chrissie Hynde is going to see the light over her damaging attitude towards rape victims. This week, once again, she has refused to rethink her stance.
Speaking to the Sunday Times magazine in August, Hynde detailed a traumatic incident during which an Ohio gang member promised to take her to a party but took her to an empty house instead.
In a hugely disheartening display of self-blame and internalised misogyny, Chrissie Hynde then expressed a view that echoes that of many victims of sexual assault - that she herself was to blame. "Technically speaking, however you want to look at it, this was all my doing," she said, "and I take full responsibility. "
She added, "You can’t fuck about with people, especially people who wear ‘I Heart Rape’ and ‘On Your Knees’ badges ... those motorcycle gangs, that’s what they do. You can’t paint yourself into a corner and then say whose brush is this? You have to take responsibility. I mean, I was naive."
As the interview progressed, Hynde made several further misinformed and damaging comments regarding rape victims: "If I’m walking around and I’m very modestly dressed and I’m keeping to myself and someone attacks me, then I’d say that’s his fault. But if I’m being very lairy and putting it about and being provocative, then you are enticing someone who’s already unhinged – don’t do that.
"Come on! That’s just common sense. You know, if you don’t want to entice a rapist, don’t wear high heels so you can’t run from him. If you’re wearing something that says ‘Come and fuck me’, you’d better be good on your feet ... I don’t think I’m saying anything controversial am I?"
The Pretenders singer has been afforded multiple opportunities since then to change her mind. Perhaps it's better, in a way, that she's refused to offer an empty apology that she doesn't mean.
Yesterday, in an interview with NPR's David Greene, the comments were, once again brought up. "What are you getting at? Why are you asking me this?" she responded. "You know what, I don’t care what a lot of people want. You know? I’d rather say, just don’t buy the fucking book, then, if I’ve offended someone. Don’t listen to my records."
She added, "Cause I’m only telling you my story, I’m not here trying to advise anyone or tell anyone what to do or tell anyone what to think, and I’m not here as a spokesperson for anyone. I’m just telling my story. So the fact that I’ve been - you know, it’s almost like a lynch mob."
Unfortunately though, Hynde's comments unequivocally did try to advise people: "If you don't want to entice a rapist, don't wear high heels."
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