Lawyer turns tables on absurd argument that a woman's underwear is to blame for whether she gets raped

'A rape is not about clothes, alcohol etc etc but about the rapist'

Elizabeth Massi Fritz has worked with victims of rape and sex attacks for more than 24 years (Elisabeth Massi Fritz/Instagram)

A Swedish lawyer asked a rape suspect to describe his underwear to demonstrate that what women wear when they are attacked is irrelevant.

Elisabeth Massi Fritz shared the exchange on her Instagram account: "Victims of rape must stop being blamed. A rape is not about clothes, alcohol etc etc but about the rapist.

"I asked the perpetrator to describe their underpants in detail during an interrogation and was asked what significance this was for this case. My answer was 'as important as my client's thongs' Mr Chairman."

 

Veckans arbete består av våldtäktsmål. Våldtäktsoffer måste sluta SKULDBELÄGGAS. En våldtäkt beror inte på klädsel, alkohol etc etc utan på våldtäktsmannen. Jag bad förövaren beskriva sina kalsonger ingående i ett förhör och fick frågan vilken betydelse dessa har i målet. Mitt svar blev "lika stor betydelse som min klients stringtrosor" herr ordförande. Kunde inte låta bli. Kämpar på i dessa mål och jobbar stenhårt med att förändra attityderna i rättssalen. Brottsoffrets har också rätt till rättssäkerhet. #fattanu #fattaman #våldtäkt #raper #brott #polis #kvinna #woman #sös #avk #våld #hot #styrkaförkvinnor #lag #rätt #violence #offer #advokat #lawyer #defender #skada #skadad #hjälp #psykologförbundet #psykologi #stark #girlpower @fattanu @engvallcaroline @foreningenstorasyster #jatilllivet #tbt @fattamannen @farselfdefence

A photo posted by Advokat Elisabeth Massi Fritz (@advokatmassifritz) on Nov 5, 2015 at 8:06am PST

The lawyer, who has worked with victims of rape and sex attacks for more than 24 years, told The Local she was fed up with watching her vulnerable clients being quizzed about their clothes.

"Neither string panties nor underwear are of any significance.

"Many victims of rape do not dare report the crime to the police. They are afraid to talk about reality as it is traumatic.

"They are afraid of being questioned, slandered and contested," she said.

"We need to change the distorted attitude that says women do not have equal rights with men", she told Expressen.

"That women who are drunk, dress a certain way or voluntarily go home with an unknown man, reading between the lines, have themselves to blame."

Sweden currently has the highest rape rate in Europe, though this is partly because the country records each case of sexual violence separately while other countries would log the claim as a single incident.