A female Indian politician has sparked anger by suggesting that rape victims were to blame for their attacks, at a time when the country is under scrutiny for its high level of sexual assaults.
Asha Mirje, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in western Maharashtra state, caused controversy with her comments over the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in the capital New Delhi in December 2012.
The attack on the 23-year-old, who became known as "Nirbhaya" (fearless) in the Indian media, sparked protests across the country over treatment of women.
"Take the Nirbhaya rape case. Does a girl really have to go out with a male friend at 11:00 pm?" said Mirje, a member of the Maharashtra women's commission, on Tuesday.
She also referred to another high-profile gang-rape that took place in August on a female photographer, who was out on an early evening assignment in an isolated corner of Mumbai with a male colleague.
"Is 6:00 pm in the evening the right time to go to such a lonely spot?" said Mirje.
She added that "inviting messages" could be sent out "unintentionally" through clothes and body language.
Her comments were condemned on social media on Wednesday and even by members of her own party, including minister Praful Patel, who described them as "insensitive" and suggested there may be disciplinary action.
India has been in the spotlight since the Delhi gang-rape for its high frequency of sexual attacks on women.
The vast majority of the victims are Indians, but some of the attacks have also involved tourists, such as a 51-year-old Dutch women who was gang-raped in the capital earlier this month.
Police in east India last week arrested 13 people after an Indian woman was allegedly gang-raped on orders from tribal village elders who objected to her relationship with a man from another community.
Mirje later added: "What I said was that there are some crimes in which women can also be responsible.
"I am not saying that what I said is the only truth. I am saying think about it."
She added: "We are in a transit period between a totally safe and a totally unsafe period. Parents have to be aware of this".
Indian politician under fire for rape comments
A female Indian politician has sparked anger by suggesting that rape victims were to blame for their attacks, at a time when the country is under scrutiny for its high level of sexual assaults.
Asha Mirje, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in western Maharashtra state, caused controversy with her comments over the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in the capital New Delhi in December 2012.
The attack on the 23-year-old, who became known as "Nirbhaya" (fearless) in the Indian media, sparked protests across the country over treatment of women.
"Take the Nirbhaya rape case. Does a girl really have to go out with a male friend at 11:00 pm?" said Mirje, a member of the Maharashtra women's commission, on Tuesday.
She also referred to another high-profile gang-rape that took place in August on a female photographer, who was out on an early evening assignment in an isolated corner of Mumbai with a male colleague.
"Is 6:00 pm in the evening the right time to go to such a lonely spot?" said Mirje.
She added that "inviting messages" could be sent out "unintentionally" through clothes and body language.
Her comments were condemned on social media on Wednesday and even by members of her own party, including minister Praful Patel, who described them as "insensitive" and suggested there may be disciplinary action.
India has been in the spotlight since the Delhi gang-rape for its high frequency of sexual attacks on women.
The vast majority of the victims are Indians, but some of the attacks have also involved tourists, such as a 51-year-old Dutch women who was gang-raped in the capital earlier this month.
Police in east India last week arrested 13 people after an Indian woman was allegedly gang-raped on orders from tribal village elders who objected to her relationship with a man from another community.
Mirje later added: "What I said was that there are some crimes in which women can also be responsible.
"I am not saying that what I said is the only truth. I am saying think about it."
She added: "We are in a transit period between a totally safe and a totally unsafe period. Parents have to be aware of this".
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