New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is once again in row over his take on a serious issue such as rape. The Prime Minister is facing severe criticism for participating in a radio stunt that underplayed the seriousness of rape in prison.

On Wednesday, Key appeared for an interview on the Rock radio station where the radio host asked him to enter a cage and pick up a bar of soap. The act made clear reference to sexual assaults in prisons. When Key performed the act, the staff at the radio station broke out in laughter. To this, Key commented that the soap felt greasy and did not smell good. The radio host joked that it has been taken from the men’s urinal.

Ken Clearwater from Survivors of Sexual Abuse New Zealand said the stunt was absolutely appalling. “Rape is not a joke,” he said. “Regardless of the gender of the victim, the psychological damage done to men and boys is the same as to women.”

Deborah Russell, lecturer at the Massey University and a feminist, said the Prime Minister’s decision to take part in the act was not only appalling but also expressed his weak stance on sexual violence in New Zealand.

“He [John Key] has a terrible history of not standing up against sexual violence in this country,” the Guardian quoted her as saying. “He has cut funding to rape crisis, he silenced women parliamentarians who spoke out about their own sexual assault experiences and now we have him making jokes about prison rape on a national radio station. When will it end?”

Last month, the Prime Minister drew controversy by accusing the opposition of supporting rapists. His comment followed accusations from opposition MPs that he wasn’t doing enough to help the 40 New Zealanders awaiting deportation at the Christmas Island detention centre. Key’s comments had sparked outrage over the internet with an online petition launched against him.

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