Carlos Bilardo's statements generate controversy in Argentina
The statements made by Carlos Bilardo, the coach who led Argentina to win their second World Cup in Mexico in 1986, in which he linked violence against women with the "provocative" clothing they wear, caused a strong controversy in a country where a femicide occurs every 18 hours.
"I am against rape, I am against everything, but there are women who dress well and there are women who are provocative," Bilardo said this Sunday in an interview with América 24 channel, where he claimed to have fought for a long time against "women's clothing".
"On the beach, yes, she can dress as she wishes. On the street, she can't dress however she wants. There are young girls who provoke that, who wear skirts and bend down to pick up a piece of paper, and you see their underwear," said the former coach of the Argentine national team when asked about the frequent abuses committed against women in Argentina.
Bilardo believes that they should dress "better" and emphasized that education or psychology is not enough to stop the "many rapists" because although they "do not have the right" to touch a woman, it is "logical" that some are unable to avoid it.
"I take the bus and I see a lady, a woman, a young girl, wearing a bra below her nipples and you look. How can you not look?" he stated.
Bilardo's statements sparked a strong controversy among the society of the South American country, where at least 58 women were murdered in just the first two months of the year, according to figures from social organizations.
On her Twitter account, the head of the Women of Latin American Women's Movement (MuMaLá), Raquel Vivanco, denounced his words and demanded a retraction, considering that they promote "rape culture" and violence against women.
Meanwhile, producer and entertainment journalist Laura Ubfal described the former coach as "ignorant" and emphasized that rape is "NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER (sic) the victim's fault".