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Kasich advises female college student: Don't go to alcohol-fueled parties

John Kasich advised a female college student on Friday to avoid parties “where there’s a lot of alcohol” to reduce the threat of encountering sexual violence on campus.

“My question is, being that I’m a young female college student, what are you going to do in office as president to help me feel safer and more secure regarding sexual violence, harassment and rape?” asked the woman, who identified herself as a first-year student at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.

Kasich initially pointed to what’s happening in Ohio. “In our state, we think that when you enroll you ought to absolutely know that if something happens to you along the lines of sexual harassment or whatever, you have a place to go where there is a confidential reporting, where there is an ability for you to access a rape kit, where that is kept confidential but where it gives you opportunity to be able to pursue justice after you have had some time to reflect on it all,” the Ohio governor told supporters at his Watertown, New York, town hall on Friday.

He added that Ohio is in the process of making sure that students at all colleges and universities in the state are cognizant of the rules and confidential policies that are in place to support victims.

“I have two 16-year-old daughters and—I don’t even like to think about it,” Kasich said.

“It’s sad that it’s something that I have to worry about just walking to…,” the woman began before Kasich interrupted.

“I’ll also give you one bit of advice: Don’t go to parties where there’s a lot of alcohol,” he said, eliciting applause from the room. “OK? Don’t do that.”

The remark, which came amid Sexual Assault Awareness Month, sparked quick backlash.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund said Kasich has implemented nearly 20 policies that limit women’s access to reproductive health care. The governor’s state also closed almost half of its abortion providers, and he cut domestic violence prevention and Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies programs, said the group, which blasted Kasich for blaming women who go to parties.

“John Kasich’s pattern of dismissing the concerns of women is disturbing enough,” said Dawn Laguens, Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s executive vice president. “A John Kasich presidency would punish women. We can’t let his dangerous agenda into the White House.”

Kasich, however, cleaned up his controversial comment later Friday.

“Only one person is at fault in a sexual assault, and that's the assailant,” he said in the first of three tweets. “That's why John Kasich has worked so hard to provide campuses with the tools they need to make sure victims have the necessary support. Victims needs to know we're doing everything we can to have their backs, and that's happening in Ohio under John Kasich's leadership.”