Trump accuser says most people think of rape as ‘sexy’ in controversial CNN interview
An advice columnist who has accused Donald Trump of raping her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s has raised eyebrows online after telling CNN host Anderson Cooper that most people think of rape as “sexy.”
Jean. E Carroll was appearing on Cooper’s show on Monday night when he asked her why she didn’t like to use the word rape. “I was not thrown on the ground and ravaged. The word rape carries so many sexual connotations. This was not sexual. It just hurt,” she said, before things took a turn for the bizarre.
Anderson Cooper went straight to commercial right after this comment. pic.twitter.com/hkM7KCYw71
— Cameron Cawthorne (@Cam_Cawthorne) June 25, 2019
“I think most people think of rape as being sexy — think of the fantasies,” Carroll continued, before an uncomfortable Cooper stumbled and quickly cut to a commercial break.
The comment lit up a debate, with people saying its a “repulsive” and “disgusting” way to talk about rape and others suggesting that the Trump accuser was not a good spokesperson for rape victims and even doubted the credibility of her story.
As someone who’s been raped, who felt helpless and weak with the pain of elbows pressing into my breasts, my lungs gasping for air, and my thighs pulled apart as skin scraped against skin, I find this woman’s comment about rape being sexy repulsive. https://t.co/xSVAXPd8tB
— Denise McAllister (@McAllisterDen) June 25, 2019
She literally told Anderson Cooper that she thinks most people think rape is sexy..... she’s completely not credible & AC should have called her on this. Her words hurt real victims.
— Sherry S (@sherrys85) June 25, 2019
There were those who took Carroll’s side, noting she had made the comment in response to Trump’s earlier denial of rape on the basis that she was not his “type.” Sympathetic tweeters said she was trying to explain that rapists are often motivated by power and not sexual attraction.
Others offered that if content on most porn websites is anything to go by, many people do seem to find rape or rape “fantasies” sexy.
Folks questioning E. Jean Carroll for saying "Most people think rape is sexy" on Anderson Cooper?Every porn site has rape fantasy or some sort of forced sex as a category. So is she crazy or are y'all hypocrites?This is a misdirect to discredit her, nothing more. pic.twitter.com/ERJnojrlxU
— Xavier Lamont (@xlcomedy) June 25, 2019
As a person whose virginity was taken by rape, I don't think she's talking about us (and other survivors) thinking rape is sexy. I think she is talking about people who search pornhub/xvideo/whatever other porn site for "rape scene". Those scenes sexualize a horrific thing!
— Sabra #TheatreChick (@saby195) June 25, 2019
New York magazine published Carroll’s accusation against Trump on Friday in an excerpt from her upcoming book in which she details her alleged experiences of sexual assault and misconduct with Trump and multiple other men.
Trump has adamantly denied Carroll’s allegation and similar accusations from a number of other women.
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