Harvey Weinstein's defense attorney said in a new interview that she's never been the victim of sexual assault "because I would never put myself in that position."
Donna Rotunno made the remark when she was asked if she had ever been sexually assaulted on The Daily podcast. "I have not because I would never put myself in that position," Rotunno explained on the New York Times' podcast. "I’ve always made choices from college-age on where I never drank too much. I never went home with someone that I didn’t know. I just never put myself in any vulnerable circumstances ever."
The woman interviewing her, NYT reporter Megan Twohey, pressed the attorney on her comments: "Do you believe every woman who’s been sexually assaulted somehow put herself in that position — whether it was having drinks or agreeing to go to a hotel room?" to which Rotunno responded, "absolutely not, but just as we make smart decisions when we walk out on the street at night, I think you have to make the same decision when you're putting yourself in circumstances with other people."
"When we walk out at night we look around, we make sure we have our phone, some people take mace. We take precautions. All I’m saying is women should take precautions," she added.
Twitter users immediately condemned the attorney's tone-deaf comments:
Weinstein has vehemently denied all allegations of sexual assault, though a new report revealed that he apologized years ago for sexual misconduct, according to the New York Times. In a settlement agreement 22 years ago, the disgraced movie mogul admitted that "he did not know when things were consensual."
The Miramax co-founder faces life in prison if convicted for his alleged crimes.
