Angela Lansbury said women “must sometimes take the blame” for sexual harassment, and the internet is outraged

With the recent flood of sexual misconduct allegations in Hollywood, many celebrities are voicing their opinions on sexual assault, harassment, and the toxic masculinity that keeps those issues in place. British actress Angela Lansbury added her voice to the conversation in an interview with Britain’s Radio Times on November 28th, and many are — understandably — unhappy with what she had to say.

The actress, best known for her roles in Murder, She Wrote and the animated Beauty and the Beast, essentially blamed women for sexual harassment.

"There are two sides to this coin," she said. "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."

She continued,

"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 getting raped."

However, Lansbury did go on to say that there is no excuse for sexual assault or harassment.

“Should women be prepared for this? No, they shouldn’t have to be,” she said. “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.”

Nevertheless, the internet was outraged by the victim-blaming implications in Lansbury’s comments. Some chalked her words up to being from a “different generation.” But, as many Twitter users pointed out, age is no excuse for blaming women for abuse perpetrated by men. false

*Murder she wrote opening theme plays*

Angela Lansbury: *looks at murdered woman* she was wearing a skirt. It’s her fault. Case closed. Everybody go home.

*Murder she wrote end theme plays*

— Papalina (@DorothyBillowy) November 28, 2017

false false

One user even noted the irony of the fact that Lansbury starred in the 1944 movie Gaslight — which literally coined the term “gaslighting” (aka the act of making someone think they are crazy or to blame when they’re really innocent).

Angela Lansbury, star of the 1944 version of Gaslight, which gave us the term ‘Gaslighting’, has just declared that attractive women share the blame for sexual harassment. pic.twitter.com/x3ruL22cIR

— Dr Fern Riddell (@FernRiddell) November 28, 2017

Let’s be clear: Abuse is never the victim’s fault. Far too many women — and men — believe they are somehow to blame for getting sexually assaulted or harassed, and it’s a tool sexual predators use to their advantage. This should be a critical reminder to take the focus off of what a victim was wearing at the time of her assault, and onto the actions of her abuser.