State Sen. Evie Hudak responded to criticism Tuesday about comments she made to a rape victim who testified against a bill banning concealed-carry weapons from college campuses.

In a prepared statement, Hudak, D-Westminster, said she “didn’t mean to be insensitive,” adding, “I’m glad I had the opportunity to offer (the victim) a sincere apology in a private conversation.”

Hudak’s statement came after hours of criticism on social media and questions from journalists about an exchange Monday between Hudak and Amanda Collins, 27, of Reno, Nev.

Collins, a victim of rape, testified against House Bill 1226 before the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Monday. She told the committee that had she been permitted to use her concealed-carry permit and carry her gun on campus, the incident may have ended differently.

Hudak disagreed.

“I just want to say that, actually statistics are not on your side even if you had a gun,” Hudak said during the hearing. “And, chances are that if you would have had a gun, then he would have been able to get that from you and possibly use it against you.”

“The Colorado Coalition Against Gun Violence says that for every one woman who used a handgun to kill someone in self-defense, 83 were murdered by them.”

In her Tuesday statement, Hudak said: “Amanda was reflecting on her experience and asked the committee if having a gun would have made her safer. I realize now it was a rhetorical question. Amid this emotional testimony, my goal was to share research data about the increased danger of having a gun in an assault.”

Collins on Tuesday said Hudak’s comments were shocking and disturbed her deeply.

“I had a hard time falling asleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about what she said to me,” Collins said.

After the hearing, Hudak apologized to Collins, but Collins questions the senator’s motive for doing so.

“I don’t know how genuine it really was,” Collins said.

Hudak’s remarks during the hearing drew criticism.

“It was outrageous,” said Dave Kopel, a professor at the University of Denver law school and author of a law-school textbook on firearms law and policy.

Kopel said Hudak’s statement displayed the senator’s “self-righteous, ignorant bigotry.”

After the 3-2 party line vote moving the bill forward, Hudak said the testimony was incredibly powerful, but her job was to keep the safety of all college campus students in mind.

“I feel so horrible for what some of these people have endured,” Hudak said. ” I am actually really looking out for their best interest.”

The odds of a perpetrator of a sexual crime — especially a larger male — getting the gun away from a woman are high, Hudak said.

Collins said Hudak’s comments, while painful, were not incorrect.

“The stats are against me,” Collins said, “but I am going to fight because of my experience.”

Ryan Parker: 303-954-2409, rparker@denverpost.com or twitter.com/ryanparkerdp