Serena Williams slams drunk teen rape victim

TENNIS star Serena Williams has sparked outrage after comments she made in a magazine article about a teenage rape victim who was drunk and "maybe . . . not a virgin" at the time of the assault.

In an excerpt in this month's Rolling Stone magazine, and featuring on Deadspin, the 31-year-old criticises a 16-year-old girl who was raped by two football players in Steubenville, Ohio last year.

"Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know. I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like that, your parents should teach you - don't take drinks from other people," Williams said.

"She's 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn't remember? It could have been much worse.

"She's lucky. Obviously I don't know, maybe she wasn't a virgin, but she shouldn't have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that's different."

The victim, who had been drinking, was raped by two fellow students at Steubenville High School in August last year.

The horrific case sparked controversy across America with details of the repeated asssault documented and coming to light on social media by other students the moing after the attack.

Ma'lik Richmond and Trent Mays, both 16 at the time, were later convicted for the rape of a minor and face a possible sentence of detention in juvenile jail until they tu 21.

Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia immediately blasted Williams' comments as "disgusting" and "shocking".

The organisation's executive officer Karen Willis said there was never any excuse to condone violence against rape victims and that she expected more from a person in a position of influence.

Ms Willis said while there were health and legal conces about a 16-year-old teenager drinking, that mistake never warranted or deserved punishment by sexual violence.

"Those boys zoned in on a vulnerable girl and to suggest anything otherwise is irrespsonsible," she said.

"What they did was appalling and sadly, Ms Williams isn't alone in her view that drinking or being drunk exposes the victim to violent behaviour."

Ms Willis said there was a view by some people in society that if women were drinking at the time of the attack they left themselves open to risk.

"And unfortunately that's one of the reasons why sexual assault continues to be perpetrated and go unreported," she said.

The full Rolling Stones interview is yet to be published and has already generated a raft of comment on Twitter.

Williams is no stranger to controversy on and off the court.

Last year, she launched an explosive tirade at an umpire during her title decider against Sam Stosur at Flushing Meadows.

And in 2009 she allegedly threatened to kill a lineswoman in New York, monstering the official with: "If I could. I would take this f - - -ing ball and shove it down your f - - -ing throat" during a US Open meltdown.