UK secretary slammed for not knowing what the word misogyny means

The United Kingdom (U.K.) Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has been accused of not understanding what the word misogyny means after incorrectly referencing the word during an interview on violence against women.

Speaking on “BBC Breakfast” on Wednesday, Raab stated, “Insults and misogyny is absolutely wrong, whether it’s a man against a woman or a woman against a man.”

The host of the program then read him the “dictionary definition of misogyny,” which is “hatred towards or directed at women.”

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab MP was asked on #BBCBreakfast whether he believed misogyny should be treated as a hate crime.

He said “misogyny is absolutely wrong whether it’s a man against a woman, or a woman against a man”https://t.co/RIWo6f2kXN pic.twitter.com/8RGrwhlnnF

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 6, 2021

Opposition parties in the U.K. chastised Raab in response to his remarks. The Liberal Democrat equalities spokeswoman tweeted on the matter Wednesday: 

“It’s little wonder the Conservatives are failing to tackle misogyny when their justice secretary doesn’t even seem to know what it is.

“Women and girls deserve better than these callous remarks.” – @Wera_Hobhouse https://t.co/fZGTLhMMcE

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) October 6, 2021

Raab has come under fire in the past for his comments on women and girls. He previously defended remarks in which he called feminists “obnoxious bigots.” 

He also has said that “men are getting a raw deal from cradle to the grave” and referred to “double standards” by feminists in the fight for equality back in 2011. 

Raab’s commentary comes as U.K. authorities discuss actions they plan to take to address the “systemic issues” that led former Officer Wayne Couzens, the man who murdered 33-year-old Sarah Everard earlier this year, to continue working in the London Metropolitan Police force. 

The officer had arrested Everard under the false pretense that she was violating COVID-19 restrictions. Couzens then raped and murdered Everard. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole last week.