UK & World News
- 20 August 2012, 21:48
Galloway: Assange's Behaviour 'Was Not Rape'
Respect Party MP George Galloway has attacked Sweden's attempt to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over sexual assault claims.
Mr Galloway said allegations made against Mr Assange: "Don't constitute rape," but he also condemned as "disgusting" what he described as Mr Assange's "sexual behaviour".
The Respect MP made the comments during his podcast, Good Night With George Galloway.
"Woman A met Julian Assange, invited him back to her flat, gave him dinner, went to bed with him, (and) had consensual sex with him," he said.
"(She) claims that she woke up to him having sex with her again. This is something which can happen, you know.
"I mean, not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion. Some people believe that when you go to bed with somebody, take off your clothes, and have sex with them and then fall asleep, you're already in the sex game with them."
Mr Galloway goes on to suggest that for a man not to obtain verbal consent prior to sexual intercourse was "sordid", but nonetheless did not constitute rape.
"It might be really bad manners not to have tapped her on the shoulder and said, 'Do you mind if I do it again?'
"It might be really sordid and bad sexual etiquette, but whatever else it is, it is not rape, or you bankrupt the term rape of all meaning.
"I don't believe either of those women, I don't believe either of these stories."
Mr Galloway's comments provoked anger on Twitter and they came 24 hours after US Senate Republican candidate Todd Akin earned a rebuke from fellow Republican Mitt Romney for his comments on rape and abortion.
During an interview on US television station KTVI-TV the Missouri representative referenced what he called "legitimate rape".
Mr Akin, who is strongly opposed to abortion, was criticised for suggesting this meant some acts of rape are acceptable. President Barack Obama later told a news conference Mr Akin's comments were "offensive".
Mr Obama said: "Rape is rape ...the idea of distinguishing among types of rape doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me."
However, Mr Akin claims he "misspoke" and some commentators have suggested Mr Akin was merely distancing his comments from instances where women falsely claim they have been raped in order to obtain free abortions.
Update:
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what do you think?
Jasmin Louise
who actually believes what Galloway says? The man suffers from verbal diarrhea.
chrishearn350
If Men have to gain verbal consent every time they have sex then we must all be r---sts I am sure President Obama has made love with his wife without having to ask permission. How long does consent last 3-10-20-30 minutes? all night ?.
Rhys Sage
Verbal contracts are worth nothing. You have to have it in writing, signed, witnessed and notarized.
Valerie Wood
So Mr Galloway was there and actually witnessed what happened did he? What a plonker
Lorgar Aurelian
Well i was in 2 minds with the whole Assange thing, now i know he has the odious Galloway cheerleading for him my mind is made up!
Barbara Bobrowicz
Has nobody ever woken up to find they were having sex? Maybe that's what happened to him - as well as her. It's happened to me and my (then) partner but I didn't accuse him of rape.
blue side
Think there is more to this though and not the claimed US involvement. Even in Sweden they are not that narrow thinking.
Richard Gould
Barbara, first, the law is the law. Secondly, he wasn't her partner in the same sense, it was the first night together. Doubt must be cast on her if she was to engage in sex on a first date but at the same time, as it was their first sexual encounter, is it not a bit presumptuous on his behalf that he should "make a move" whilst she is sleeping? Thirdly, a woman in a relationship still has the right to say yes or no.
Barbara Bobrowicz
Richard, I do get your point but I think you missed mine. HE may have also been asleep, dreaming he's having sex and actually performing the act before he wakes up. It happens. I know.
Richard Gould
Barbara, that is the whole point of extraditing him to Sweden to answer the charges and put forward his versions or his defence. We have legal systems, we have courts and we have jurys. It is for the established, structured system to pass judgement, not the circus of the media nor the thousands commenting without knowing the facts.
Rhys Sage
Is this the same George Galloway that went and visited Saddam Hussein and returned, declaring the fellow to be misunderstood and a saint?
john
Daily Mail reader are you? Galloway is hated by the establishment because he tells the truth, he is one one of the very MPS who didn't claim expenses while the rest of the hogs had their snouts buried deep in trough.
jimmyjedi1979
Seems you like your daily dose of propaganda! 'extra large spoon please'
Steven White
I think the main issue here is not the consent It's actually the women was unconscious!
Ziggy Squires
Galloway needs to keep his fat mouth shut.
Richard Gould
Mr Galloway is not Swedish, nor is he a member of the Swedish legal system. It is not for him or anybody outside Sweden to dictate Swedish law. If you do that in this instance you must do likewise across the world in millions of other cases and where would that leave us? Keep your nose out, respect other nation's laws and adhere to treaties.
blue side
A valid point
Jacqui Morrison
The charge seems to change all the time, first it was Rape in the sense we think of it, then it was not using a Condom, then it was he had sex with her while she was asleep (how do you sleep through that, just out of interest?), then she paraded him around Sweden for a week before reporting him, and now Galloway spends half the article describing this "disgusting behaviour" before saying he does not believe the Women's story! Chrishearn350 - ALL men have to ask, it does nt matter if they are married and have "done it" several times already that night! a man does n't just take it without a word, what are you, a Caveman?
blue side
Galloway the mouth the only white man in Respect Party I think.
john
George is a rare thing, an honest politician who upsets the establishment by telling the truth, he is one of the very few MPS who didn't claim expenses while the majority of the wretches were filling their pockets.
Adam Hale
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
john
Sun "reader" are you?
Chris Robinson
George, if someone is asleep how can they give consent? They may have already had sex, but what if they didn't like it or didn't want anymore? Verbal consent is not enough, body language speaks volumes - being asleep gives you a clue. Isn't it more fun having sex with someone when they're conscious? Whether Assange is innocent or guilty - who knows? George should be spending more time speaking up for his constituents who are struggling under the CONDEM's cuts. I haven't seen him supporting workers on picket lines yet AND he doesn't take a worker's wage like a genuine socialist should.
barbara
But what if they were both asleep at the time? Dreaming of sex can lead to actually doing it.
Chris Robinson
Not really.
Noel Morris
What do people expect from a self righteous little man and his piffling little opinions,true colours seems to come to mind.
john2003
loved the wiki leak links. once in sweden the americans can get him,and punish him for leaking in the wrong place ,its nothing to do with rape
Michael Booth
I'm with you john. This sex related event is a ruse so America can get their hands on him!
Gary W Beard
Hooray, we can do away with the legal system and just let big mouth George decide. Was it rape George? No, just a bit of harmless fun...next case. What a jerk! As someone who campaigns under the "Respect" banner, perhaps he should look the word up and see what it actually means.
Edgar Beckett
Why is Assange more likely to be deported to the USA from Sweden than from here ?
shirley sutton
9:06pm on 20/8/2012
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.