Prominent activist for victims of sexual assault - then called the October 7 reports "propaganda"

Grace Tame, an Australian activist and former Australian of the Year, released a clarification video after a public uproar, in which she claimed her comments about the sexual assaults on October 7 were misrepresented. She clarified that she does not deny the testimonies of individual Israeli women, but stands by her criticism of the State of Israel.

Grace Tame, a prominent Australian activist for victims of sexual assault and a former Australian of the Year, released a clarification video on Instagram following a public controversy. Tame, herself a victim of sexual assault who led a historic legal battle allowing victims to speak in their own names, responded belatedly to comments she made in a radio interview in March. In the original interview, she called the October 7 reports "propaganda" and said the claims had been "debunked." In the clarification video, Tame said her words were misinterpreted, and that she stands with all survivors of sexual violence regardless of their identity. She noted that Human Rights Watch found no evidence supporting the claim that Israeli women were raped en masse, but clarified that she does not deny legitimate rape allegations raised by individual Israeli women, including testimonies of gang rape. Alongside this, she reiterated her criticism of the State of Israel, which she called "crimes."