British Home Secretary James Cleverly has apologized for his joke about adding a date-rape drug to his wife's drink. According to a report by the British newspaper "Sunday Mirror," Cleverly made the joke to female guests during a reception at the government headquarters earlier this month.
Cleverly, a senior minister in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative government, said that adding "a little bit of Rohypnol (the date-rape drug) to her drink every night isn't really illegal if it's just a little," according to the newspaper. He reportedly added that the secret to a long marriage is ensuring that your wife is "someone who is always lightly drugged so she never realizes there are better men out there."
His comments came on the same day that Cleverly pledged to strengthen UK laws regarding the rising prices of drinks in the country, according to "Mirror". A spokesperson for Cleverly told PA Media, "In what was always understood to be a private conversation, James, the Home Secretary, who was addressing the increasing incidents of drugging (for the purpose of assault), made what was clearly intended to be a sarcastic joke - and he apologized for it."
These comments sparked controversy among women's rights groups and led to calls for his resignation. Opposition Labour politician and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper tweeted: "The rise in drugging is a serious and devastating crime." She added, "It is simply unacceptable for the Home Secretary, responsible for addressing violence against women and girls, to think it's acceptable to make such jokes. How can victims trust him to take this abhorrent crime seriously?"
The Fawcett Society, a women's advocacy group, described the comments as "disgusting." Jemima Olchawski, the Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, stated, "No wonder women don’t feel safe. We know that 'jokes' are the excuse that allows misogyny to flourish. How can we trust him to seriously tackle violence against women and girls? We deserve better than this from lawmakers, and Cleverly should resign."
Women's Aid, an organization aimed at addressing domestic violence in the UK, said, "We rely on political leaders to act to end violence against women and girls, and the misogyny that underpins it." They continued, "It is vital that survivors of drugging incidents see ministers taking the subject seriously and not downplaying the reality faced by many women."
Cleverly had to issue another apology weeks prior for using "inappropriate language" referring to Labour MP Alex Cunningham. He was accused of using a derogatory term to describe his constituency in Stockton North, which he denies.
Britain is facing an increasing crisis of rising drugging incidents. Between May 2022 and April 2023, there were 6,732 reports of drugging incidents in England and Wales, according to PA Media.
