Security chief Lai Tung-kwok stops short of apology for rape remark
Responses leave Lai Tung-kwok 'uneasy', but he makes no attempt to withdraw the comment
The security chief admitted yesterday that he felt "uneasy" after reading e-mails responding to his suggestion that women should drink less to avoid being raped, but he appeared to be standing by the comment.
He did not withdraw the remark or apologise despite demands to do so.
"I did not mean to put the blame on victims [of rape and sexual abuse]," Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok said.
On Tuesday, Lai appealed to young women not to drink too much, as the latest government statistics showed the number of rapes in the first quarter of the year had increased almost 60 per cent, to 35 cases.
With his words coming under fire, Lai said he had replied to e-mails and would "listen humbly to suggestions". He also asked victims to step forward to report rape and said the police would do all they could to bring the attackers to justice.
It may have been a gentle reminder, and I don't doubt his good intentions, but it's also a judgment - an incorrect judgment and assumption. I'm worried this wrong logic will cause women to misunderstand and think that if they drink less, they'll avoid being raped
Women's groups said his response was not satisfactory and repeated calls for him to withdraw his original comment and apologise.
