Chris Minns apologises over tweet comparing sexual assault to smoking

Chris Minns has been forced to apologise after comparing sexual assault figures to smoking in a since-deleted tweet.

The NSW Labor leader intended to highlight the rising rate of violence against women, but prompted backlash for his poor phrasing.

‘A woman in NSW is more likely to be sexually assaulted than to smoke. Unacceptable,’ he tweeted.

Chris Minns has been forced to apologise after comparing sexual assault to smoking in a since-deleted tweet

The NSW Labor leader had intended to highlight the rising rate of violence against women on Friday

The tweet was made after the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research released its data for June revealing sexual assaults rose in NSW.

Mr Minn’s tweet immediately sparked backlash from voters who took issue with him comparing sexual assault to smoking.

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor labelled it ‘irresponsible’. 

‘Smoking is a choice. Being sexually assaulted is not,’ she tweeted. 

Mr Minns deleted the tweet an hour-and-a-half after posting, and apologised.

‘Obviously it was meant to highlight the high rates of sexual assault in the community,’ he said.

‘But in retrospect, it wasn’t a good comparison. Lesson learned and of course I apologise for that.’

Mr Minn’s tweet immediately sparked backlash from social media users who took issue with him comparing sexual assault to smoking (stock image)

Sexual assault reports increased 15 per cent over the past five years with 6,967 cases recorded in the past 12 months.

The number of attacks also doubled per capita since 1993.

Apprehended violence order breaches also increased by 10 per cent with 21,769 reported over the past year.

Around one in four Australian women, or 23 per cent, have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of their partner.

The 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found only 13 per cent of women smoke.