Serena Sorry for Steubenville Rape Comments, Williams Contacting Victim's Family
Serena is sorry for her comments about the Steubenville, Ohio rape victim, according to reports. Williams' said that the 16-year-old girl "shouldn't have put herself in that position," but after her comments provoked outrage among fans and critics alike, she issued an apology.
Serena's apology comes before the top-ranked tennis pro heads to England for Wimbledon next Monday. A Rolling Stone interview was released Monday and by Tuesday, readers' uproar had reached the tennis pro's ears. Williams said she was attempting to rectify the situation by reaching out to the girl's family.
"What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened. For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved - that of the rape victim and of the accused," Williams said in a statement to "Good Morning America." "I am currently reaching out to the girl's family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article. What was written – what I supposedly said – is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame."
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"I have fought all of my career for women's equality, women's equal rights, respect in their fields - anything I could do to support women I have done," she added. "My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent 16 year old child."
Williams' comments were offhand remarks said while watching the coverage of the Steubenville rape incident. The two teenagers, Trent Mays and Ma'lik Richmond, were convicted and sentenced to a year in juvenile detention in March.
"Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know. I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like that, your parents should teach you: Don't take drinks from other people. She's 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn't remember?" Williams told the journalist.
"It could have been much worse. She's lucky. Obviously, I don't know, maybe she wasn't a virgin, but she shouldn't have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that's different," she added.
Though Williams apologized, some feel her statement was less than genuine, citing her mention of "what was written in the Rolling Stone article" and "what I supposedly said."
"She either doesn't want to admit she's wrong or she doesn't think she's wrong," wrote Chris Chase for USA Today, saying Williams "still doesn't know how to apologize."
