Whose fault was that then?

One tourist who probably won't be returning to our shores is the unfortunate German woman who didn't have a very good Good Friday at all; she was dragged from just outside a restuarant on the Strand and raped in a nearby alley.

But how on earth did the woman come to be alone, in the middle of a large town, at 11 o'clock at night?

Was she wandering the streets late at night because she was pissed? If so, the Righteous would be delighted. 'See - she put herself into danger because of the eevil alcohol'. 'If only we had minimum pricing for alcohol, she wouldn't have been so helplessly drunk'. It would have all been the demon alcohol's fault

Was she there because she'd been working in the restaurant, and was knocking off for the night? If so, the media would have been ecstatic. 'Waitress forced to walk home alone after working late shift', 'Vulnerable woman on streets after dark .. uncaring employer'. The Daily Mail could even have run a picture of a waitress in a tight blouse and a short skirt.

But those things weren't the case, were they? No.

The unfortunate woman was standing on the streets of London, alone, after dark for only one reason. Because the law dictated that she had to.

She wanted a cigarette, and because of the legislation that Nanny State has created - for our own good, of course - she had to leave her companions, leave the well-lit and safe restaurant, and go and stand alone in the dark outside.

To be absolutely certain that no other diner would have to smell a whiff of cigarette smoke on their way to the toilets, or witness the disgusting, demonised sight of someone - ewww - enjoying a post meal puff, she had to be banished - 'outside, woman' - into the night.

So, Righteous, let's be hearing from you. Is that just one of the terrible things that happen when you smoke? Was it her fault? The dirty smoker? Did she bring this rape upon herself?

Was she, with her desire for a quick fag, 'asking for it?'


++Update++: great minds think alike - JuliaM has covered this too