Angela Lansbury responds to controversial statements on sex abuse

Actress Angela Lansbury has issued a statement responding to her controversial comments that women “must sometimes take blame” for sexual harassment and assault because they dress attractively.

The statement reads:

“There is no excuse whatsoever for men to harass women in an abusive sexual manner. And, I am devastated that anyone should deem me capable of thinking otherwise.

“Those who have known the quality of my work and the many public statements I have made over the course of my life, must know, that I am a strong supporter of Women’s Rights.

“Lastly, I would like to add that I am troubled by how quickly and brutishly some have taken my comments out of context and attempted to blame my generation, my age, or my mindset, without having read the entirety of what I said.”

The 92-year-old actress told the U.K.’s Radio Times earlier this week that there is “no excuse” for predatory men preying on women, but, “There are two sides to this coin. We have to own up to the fact that women, since time immemorial, have gone out of their way to make themselves attractive. And unfortunately it has backfired on us — and this is where we are today.

“We must sometimes take blame, women. I really do think that. Although it’s awful to say we can’t make ourselves look as attractive as possible without being knocked down and raped.”

Lansbury went on to say women should not be blamed if they are victimized by men.

“Should women be prepared for this? No, they shouldn’t have to be. There’s no excuse for that. And I think it will stop now — it will have to. I think a lot of men must be very worried at this point,” Lansbury said.