Andrew Tate interview: Suffragettes condemn influencer after he called alleged victim ‘conceited’

The women’s rights activist has slammed Andrew Tate after saying one of his alleged victims was “imagined” and “didn’t exist”.

In his bombshell interview with the BBC while under house arrest, the disgraced influencer accused the broadcaster of “making up” the woman’s allegations.

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The former kickboxer claimed the lawsuit against him was “entirely fabricated” in the tense one-to-one conversation with journalist Lucy Williamson.

He has strongly denied fomenting a culture of misogyny and has dismissed all alleged allegations against him that are currently under investigation.

Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested in December when Romanian police raided their home luxury Villa on allegations of human trafficking and rape.

But they have since been released under house arrest after the Bucharest Court of Appeal overturned a decision denying them bail.

Tate is now facing fresh controversy over his comments in his explosive BBC interview, which ended abruptly.

Viewers were outraged when he insisted one of his alleged victims was fictitious and flatly rebuffed scathing questions.

The combative conversation revolved around a woman who spoke out against Tate under the pseudonym Sophie.

She claimed she was beaten, strangled and subjected to sexual violence after being lured to Romania during a conversation with the BBC radio 4 in February.

The Brit claimed she was drawn in by the promise of romance, only to be pressured into working as a camgirl.

The alleged victim even said she was forced to mark her body with Tate’s name in the form of a tattoo on her arm.

But the controversial influencer rejected the discussion about Sophie and accused the BBC of “inventing” her statement.

He became visibly angry as he said, “Did she accuse me of a crime, that imaginary Sophie?”

“This Sophie who invented the BBC, who has no face, no one knows who she is.

“Sophie didn’t go to court, Sophie doesn’t exist.”

Tate got into a verbal argument with interviewer Lucy when he declined her questions and reminded her that she was “not the boss around here.”

He continued to deny the allegations and urged her to move on next Topic as chat became more and more hostile.

His brazen remarks sparked outrage and were branded a “slap in the face” by survivors.

dr Charlotte Proudman, the leader of the women’s organization Right to Equality, criticized the BBC for giving Tate a platform.

She claimed victims she works with told her they felt “re-traumatized” by watching him “downplay his abusive behavior.”

INDIGNATION

“The BBC aired Andrew Tate’s comment that an abuse victim’s allegations against him were ‘imaginary’ which, if found guilty, would amount to harassment,” the activist said INews.

“Where is the duty of care for victims?

“I am deeply concerned at the impact this is having on victims at large, who may feel that it is a slap in the face for them to abuse an extreme misogynist accused of violent crimes against women.”

“A survivor One woman who had been raped told me that she felt triggered and couldn’t help but imagine her rapist sitting in his position.

“Why does the media give airtime to men accused of heinous acts and not to survivors whose voices are seldom heard?”

Domestic Violence Activist David Challen also chimed in with a tweet, saying Tate’s manipulation tactics were evident in the interview.

He was furious: “In an interview with the BBC Andrew Tate says he is against any form of abuse, but at the same time some of his comments are “jokes” and “satirical content”.

“The Man Anyone who rejects the manipulation of women is certainly trying to manipulate this journalist.

Deniz Uğur, deputy director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, reiterated his comments.

She was furious: “The tactics we’ve seen in this interview are nothing new and just the latest in a long line of men using their profile, status or power to dismiss victims and perpetuate violence against women trivialize.”

“That perpetrators continue to rekindle tired victim accusations – including discrediting survivors and those who support them – shows the profound damage gender inequality is having on women’s lives and on our society at large.”

VIP TREATMENT

The BBC was also criticized by Romanian prosecutors for treating Tate “like a VIP” in the interview at his home.

Dressed in a smart suit, he relaxed in a comfortable chair and answered questions in what appeared to be a private room.

But even though Tate’s airtime was cut, Romanian prosecutors blamed the broadcaster for giving the misogynist a chance in the first place.

A court source told The Sun Online it was a disgrace.

The source said: “It is really outrageous to see Mr Tate spreading such bad words about the Romanian authorities when there has been an investigation for over five months with a lot of evidence.”

“It’s just not normal for Mr Tate to give the BBC such an interview with so many strings attached, as if he were a prominent VIP and not actually someone who is being investigated with his brother for multiple crimes.”

“But I hope the laws and the evidence will have the final say in this case where Mr. Tate is trying to put on some sort of show.”

Following the interview, Tate released an “unedited” version of the nearly 40-minute interview, which he shared on Twitter.

At the start of the one-on-one, he claimed the BBC attempted a “hit job” after “ignoring all the questions they promised”.

He added: “I have no ill feelings towards the BBC or any journalist who tries to lie about me.”

“The truth of my message is known and goodwill continues to spread.”

Police sources insist the Tates are still on trial – and promise the investigation against them will be completed by July.

Police said they expect the brothers to be charged and tried in the fall and said they have “thousands of documents and pieces of evidence”.

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