Angela Lansbury says that attractive women ‘must sometimes take blame’ for sexual harassment

The Murder She Wrote actress said that there are 'two sides to the coin' 
Outspoken: Angela Lansbury thinks that women need to take responsibility for sexual harassment
AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLISJUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images
Jennifer Ruby28 November 2017
The Weekender

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Dame Angela Lansbury has said that women must take some responsibility for sexual harassment if they make themselves “look attractive”.

While the Murder She Wrote actress, 92, said that there was “no excuse” for sexual abuse, she went on to suggest that women should “take some blame”.

The latest high-profile name to wade into the debate, sparked by the numerous allegations made against Harvey Weinstein, Landsbury said that women’s desire to look attractive has now “backfired”.

“There are two sides to this coin. We have to own up to the fact that women, since time immemorial, have gone out of their way to make themselves attractive,” she told the Radio Times.

Accused: Harvey Weinstein has been accused of sexual assault
AP

“And unfortunately it has backfired on us - and this is where we are today.”

She added: “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 raped.

"Should women be prepared for this? No, they shouldn't have to be! There's no excuse for that.”

She said sexually inappropriate behaviour in the workplace "will have to stop now", adding: "I think it will stop now - it will have to. I think a lot of men must be very worried at this point."

With an acting career of more than 70 years under her belt, Dame Angela's own private life has been a subject of scrutiny in the past, including her short marriage to Richard Cromwell in 1945.

"I had no idea that I was marrying a gay man," she said.

"I found him such an attractive individual. He wanted to marry, he was fascinated with me, but only because of what he had seen on the screen, really.

Radio Times is out now.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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