Krista Ford, niece of Mayor Rob Ford and daughter of Coun. Doug Ford, ignited a Twitter firestorm Wednesday after she suggested that women should avoid dressing like a whore after a police press conference about sexual assault.
In a tweet, Ford said: “Stay alert, walk tall, carry mace, take self-defense classes & don't dress like a whore. #DontBeAVictim #StreetSmart.”
The comment came after a Toronto Police Services press conference earlier in the day where Det. Cst. Phillip Campbell appealed to the public for information about a series of sex assaults in the city’s west end.
In six separate assaults, a young woman walking alone after dark was approached from behind by a man who then sexually assaulted her.
The timing of the comment ignited a storm of critical comments.
“Clearly @Kristaford doesn't get the point of #slutwalk Women have the right to dress however they want and not be victimized,” tweeted user @sunxgoddess.
User @thegreathopeful tweeted: “Hey @kristford educate yourself before you set feminism back 100 years.”
Ford later deleted the Tweet, but users captured it using screen grabs, or in Storify posts.
On her Twitter account, Ford lists herself as a personal trainer, promotional model and TV personality.
The mayor’s niece also made news headlines last year when she played for the now-defunct Toronto Triumph in the Lingerie Football League.
