Strong reactions have been caused in Italy by the position of the presenter Andrea Giabruno, partner of the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, regarding the case of the gang rape of a 19-year-old girl in the capital of Sicily, Palermo, which made headlines in early July.

Also on August 25, 6 teenagers were arrested in the province of Naples, as they are accused of raping two 13-year-old girls

Giabruno, who presents the show “Diario del giorno” (Daily Diary) on the Rete 4 station, said of the event: “If you go dancing, you have every right to get drunk – there should be no misunderstanding and no kind of problem.

But, if you avoid getting drunk and passed out, you may also avoid some problems and to be confronted by some wolf,” he said on his show on Monday afternoon.

Opposition politicians condemned the victim-blaming comments for what happened to him.

“I tell Jabruno that boys should be taught to show respect, instead of girls being taught to be careful. Teach them (men) the value of consent, instead of girls being careful,” said Cecilia D’Elia, senator of the opposition Democratic Party.

Jabruno, whose television career has taken off since Meloni became head of the right-wing government last October, responded that his comments had been taken out of context to create a “surreal” confrontation.

“I didn’t say that men are free to rape women who are drunk,” he told Corriere della Sera in an interview today.

“Some politicians are spreading fake news and want to hang me, but for what? Because I told the youth not to take drugs?”, he added.

Meloni, who has a young daughter with Jabruno, has not commented on the situation.

It is not the first time that Giabruno’s comments have caused reactions.

In July, she told German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to “stay at home, stay in the Black Forest” when he questioned the viability of tourism in southern Europe due to intense heat waves.