Gillibrand: ‘Our kids don’t need to be coddled. They need to be taught not to rape’ – Washington Examiner

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand condemned a judge for saying a teenager accused of rape should get leniency because he’s from a “good family.”

“I don’t care what kind of family you’re from — sexual assault is never acceptable,” the 2020 presidential hopeful tweeted Wednesday. “Our kids don’t need to be coddled. They need to be taught not to rape.”

Last year, New Jersey Superior Court Judge James Troiano denied a request to try a 16-year-old boy as an adult after he allegedly sent a video of himself penetrating a heavily intoxicated girl. Prosecutors allege the teen shared the video with his friends and sent a text that said, “When your first time having sex was rape.”

Troiano questioned whether the alleged actions amounted to rape, saying the “traditional case of rape” involves a gun or weapon.

“This young man comes from a good family who put him into an excellent school where he was doing extremely well,” he said. “His scores for college entry were very high.”

Gillibrand, an outspoken advocate of the #MeToo movement, has made combating sexual misconduct a central part of her 2020 presidential campaign.