Richard Madeley has been heavily criticised after he questioned why rape is considered a weapon of war on Good Morning Britain.
The 65-year-old presenter hosted ITV’s morning show with Kate Garraway on Monday morning, as they discussed shocking allegations that Russian troops have used rape as a “weapon of war” against Ukrainian civilians.
It comes after the UK’s ambassador to Ukraine said that she was aware of reports of women and girls being raped in front of their families, deriding a “deliberate act of subjugation”.
Melinda Simmons, British Ambassador to Ukraine, wrote on Twitter: “Rape is a weapon of war. Though we don’t yet know the full extent of its use in Ukraine it’s already clear it was part of (Russian) arsenal.
“Women raped in front of their kids, girls in front of their families, as a deliberate act of subjugation. Rape is a war crime.”
‘Absolute halfwit’
But Madeley, in conversation with Chip Chapman – a former senior British adviser to US Central Command – questioned the heartbreaking testimony.
He asked: “Chip, we’ve said something that was widely reported this morning that rape was used as a weapon of war. How exactly is rape a weapon of war?”
In response, Chapman said: “Well, it’s just trying to impose some sort of will upon the enemy as it’s mentioned in the Second World War, it’s absolutely horrific. And if you’ve got compromised morality… with those with weapons you’ve got a lethal combination for the future. It’s absolutely disgraceful and people need to be taken to account.”
Social media users were quick to blast Madeley for his line of questioning, with one Twitter commentators decrying his “insensitivity, stupidness and idiocy”.
Here are some of the most furious reactions.
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