Los Angeles, Jan 16 (PTI) Popular TV host AshleighBanfield has criticised Aziz Ansari's unnamed accuser.
Banfield, who hosts "Crime & Justice" on HLN, said thewoman, who identified herself with the pseudonym 'Grace',misused the #MeToo movement.
"By your own clear description, this wasn't a rape, norwas it a sexual assault. By your description, your sexualencounter was unpleasant," she said.
"I'm sorry you had a bad date ... but let's take amoment to reflect on what you claim was the 'worst night ofyour life.'"The host then said that Grace had "chiseled away at amovement".
"The #MeToo movement has righted a lot of wrongs and ithas made your career path much smoother ... what a gift. Yet,you looked that gift horse in the mouth and chiseled away atthat powerful movement with your public accusation," Banfieldsaid.
In a post on Babe.net, the woman claimed that sheexchanged numbers with Ansari at the 2017 Emmy Awards after-party and went on a date with him on a bar on the banks of theHudson river, which escalated quickly to a sexual encounter athis apartment.
The woman said she "used verbal and non-verbal cues toindicate how uncomfortable and distressed she was". She addedthat her reticence to engage in the act was "ignored" by theactor.
Grace alleged Ansari called her a cab when she wanted toleave and he texted her the next day. When she told him thatshe had an unpleasant experience, he apologised that he"misread things".
Responding to the claim, Ansari said the two engaged in"sexual activity, which by all indications was completelyconsensual".
A New York Times opinion piece by Bari Weiss has alsotermed the article in Babe.net as "arguably the worst thingthat has happened to the #MeToo movement since it began inOctober". PTI BKBK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.