Current:Home > BackBritish home secretary under fire for making joke about date rape drug-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
British home secretary under fire for making joke about date rape drug
View Date:2024-12-23 22:36:46
LONDON (AP) — British Home Secretary James Cleverly was under fire Sunday for joking about date rape just hours after announcing plans to crack down on what he had dubbed a “perverse” offense.
Cleverly, who oversees national security and law enforcement in England and Wales, faced a call to step down after he reportedly joked at an event at the prime minister’s home about drugging his wife.
He told women guests at a Dec. 18 reception that the secret to a long marriage was having a spouse who “is always mildly sedated so she can never realize there are better men out there,” the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported.
Cleverly said “a little bit of Rohypnol” — the so-called date rape drug — “in her drink every night” was “not really illegal if it’s only a little bit.”
The drug, colloquially known as a roofie when it is crushed and put into someone’s beverage without their knowledge, makes the subject drowsy and can lead to unconsciousness and memory loss.
Cleverly apologized through a spokesperson for what he called an “ironic joke” after he had announced the Conservative government planned to update legislation to make clear that such drink spiking is illegal. He described the practice as a “perverse” crime.
The comments were made during a drinks reception at 10 Downing Street where political journalists mingled with political aides, ministers and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Conversations at such events are typically off the record, but the Sunday Mirror said it decided to report the news because of Cleverly’s position and the subject matter.
“In what was always understood as a private conversation, James, the home secretary tackling spiking, made what was clearly meant to be an ironic joke – for which he apologizes,” his spokesperson said.
Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of the women’s rights group the Fawcett Society said the remarks were “sickening,” and she called on Cleverly to resign.
“How can we trust him to seriously address violence against women and girls?” Olchawski said in a statement. “It’s sickening that the senior minister in charge of keeping women safe thinks that something as terrifying as drugging women is a laughing matter.”
Cleverly, 54, who met his wife in college and has two children, previously described tackling violence against women and girls as a personal priority.
Senior members of the opposition Labour Party condemned the “appalling” comments.
“It is truly unbelievable that the home secretary made such appalling jokes on the very same day the government announced new policy on spiking,” Yvette Cooper, a Labour member of Parliament, said. “Victims will understandably be questioning if they can trust him to take this vile crime seriously.”
The government has pledged to clarify that drink spiking is a crime while stopping short of making it a specific offense.
Police in England and Wales receive an average of 561 reports of spiking a month, mainly by women who report incidents at bars and nightclubs, according to a Home Office report.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- 2025 Medicare Part B premium increase outpaces both Social Security COLA and inflation
- Our Future On A Hotter Planet Means More Climate Disasters Happening Simultaneously
- Fresco of possible pizza ancestor from ancient Pompeii found at dig site
- U.S. Envoy Kerry Says China Is Crucial To Handling The Climate Crisis
- John Krasinski Revealed as People's Sexiest Man Alive 2024
- 9 in 10 cars now being sold in Norway are electric or hybrid
- $500,000 reward offered 26 years after woman found dead at bottom of cliff in Australia
- The Tokyo Games Could End Up Being The Hottest Summer Olympics Ever
- Jon Gruden joins Barstool Sports three years after email scandal with NFL
- How Climate Change Is Fueling Hurricanes Like Ida
Ranking
- Reese Witherspoon's Daughter Ava Phillippe Introduces Adorable New Family Member
- Sophie Turner Calls Out Ozempic Weight-Loss Ads
- Another Major Heat Wave Is Bringing Triple-Digit Temps To The Pacific Northwest
- 350 migrants on the boat that sank off Greece were from Pakistan. One village lost a generation of men.
- Jason Kelce Jokes He Got “Mixed Reviews” From Kylie Kelce Over NSFW Commentary
- Congress Is Debating Its Biggest Climate Change Bill Ever. Here's What's At Stake
- Don't Let Dandruff Ruin a Good Hair Day: 8 Shampoos & Treatments for a Happy, Healthy Scalp
- Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro barred from elections until 2030, court rules
Recommendation
-
Does your dog have arthritis? A lot of them do. But treatment can be tricky
-
These giant beautiful flowers can leave you with burns, blisters and lifelong scars. Here's what to know about giant hogweed.
-
Here's why a lot of South Koreans suddenly just found themselves a year or two younger
-
Former student arrested in hate-motivated stabbing at Canadian university gender studies class
-
PSA: Coach Outlet Has Stocking Stuffers, Gifts Under $100 & More for the Holidays RN (up to 60% Off)
-
Fresco of possible pizza ancestor from ancient Pompeii found at dig site
-
Karol G Accuses Magazine of Photoshopping Her Face and Body
-
Climate Change Destroyed A Way Of Life On The Once-Idyllic Greek Island Of Evia