Joining us now is Dr Ang Jury who is the Chief Executive of the National Womens Refuge Collective.

The Gallagher Group executive who made controversial statements about a stripper hired by Chiefs players for end of season celebrations has apologised.

Corporate services executive and 31 year veteran at the Hamilton-based company Margaret Comer ​said she regrets her comments.

On Thursday, Comer said: "If a woman takes her clothes off and walks around in a group of men, what are we supposed to do if one of them tries to touch her."

FAIRFAX NZ Margaret Comer has apologised.

"It's not nice and perhaps the stripper shouldn't have been hired, but I'm reluctant to say that the boys were out of line."

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RNZ Rob Nichol, the chief executive of the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association says Chiefs players unlikely to lose their jobs over the stripper scandal.

Comer said hiring the stripper for end of season celebrations at the Okoroire hot pools in the Waikato was a "stupid damn thing to do".

She said a gay slur from lock Michael Allardice shouldn't have happened, but was dealt with "quite appropriately" by Chiefs management.

Comer is a trustee on the board of Waikato Women's Refuge.

But on Friday, the group released a statement. It read:

Gallagher firmly believes in equal, fair treatment of women and absolutely does not condone any kind of behaviour to the contrary.

We understand a full and formal investigation is underway and support the Chiefs management in following due process.



A statement from Margaret read: "I sincerely apologise for my comments yesterday, I feel terrible that my poor choice of words have caused hurt and alarm.

"I am even more regretful given that I have always been passionate about championing causes and organisations that improve our communities both professionally on behalf of Gallagher's philanthropic efforts and personally on a number of not for profit boards.

"I most definitely do not condone any kind of mistreatment of women and am extremely regretful that my words yesterday do not reflect the high standard I expect of myself and those I am associated with."

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