Politician defends son accused of raping girl, 12, saying 'she has a woman's body'

Our free email newsletter sends you the biggest headlines from news, sport and showbiz Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later.

A right-wing politician has sparked fury after he defended his son who is accused of raping a 12-year-old girl by saying 'she has a woman's body'.

Shameless Ivan Roca also hinted he blamed the girl's parents saying they 'should have protected her better'.

Mr Roca, a member of the opposition right-wing Independent Democratic Union party in Chile, made the jaw-dropping comments as part of a statement in defence of his son Jurgen Roca Aguayo.

The 33-year-old is on remand awaiting trial.

The councillor also went on to say it was a 'shame that it was always the man that paid the price' after his statement attracted outrage online.

He added that he had gone to visit his son and it was a 'tragedy' there were so many young men in jail 'for the same reason'.

Mr Roca posted a statement on Facebook blaming the parents of young girls when people like his son are accused of rape.

In the post, which has now gone viral, he said that despite the girl's young age she had a "woman's body" and that the parents of young girls "must control" their children better.

He also hinted that to avoid 'family suffering' young women should by chaperoned with parents acting to 'carefully control them'.

Mr Roca finished off post with a warning that parents who do not follow this advice should be condemned for their own bad choices and seen as irresponsible.

Isabel Pla Jarufe, ex-vice president of UDI, said he former colleague's post was 'unacceptable'.

She said: "He has a public responsibility as an official and his statements are unacceptable.

"He has attempted to make his 33-year old son a victim in a case where he raped a 12-year old girl."

Following pressure from the public and other politicians Mr Roca said his words had been "taken out of context".

He said he did not mean to say young girls should be "controlled" but "guided".

The councillor told Eldesconcierto: "It's a shame what happened to my son, I just visited him in jail and it was full of young men just like him, detained for being with minors without thinking of the consequences beforehand.

"This feels very wrong to me regardless of whether the minor appeared older or not."

Speaking to the media outlet, he continued to question the parents of young girls who he held responsible for letting their daughters meet older men and "behave irresponsibly".

He also claimed it was "only the man who pays the price for the crime".