TUV councillor brands Glover remarks on alleged sexual assault ‘blatant victim blaming’

DUP Ballymena councillor Reuben Glover, and TUV Bannside councillor Anna Henry

A TUV councillor has strongly condemned reported comments by DUP Ballymena representative Reuben Glover linking girls’ clothing with an alleged sexual assault, describing the remarks as “blatant victim blaming”.

Bannside councillor Anna Henry said women and girls were never responsible for the actions of sexual predators and warned that comments from elected representatives could reinforce harmful attitudes.

Her intervention follows a Belfast Telegraph report today, Friday, July 10, which said Councillor Glover stood over a WhatsApp message he posted during serious disorder in Ballymena last summer.

The message reportedly referred to how young girls were dressed while discussing an alleged sexual assault which preceded five consecutive nights of violence and disorder across Northern Ireland.

Henry ‘gobsmacked’ by reported comments

Councillor Henry said:

“I was completely gobsmacked when I woke up this morning to read a Belfast Telegraph article regarding comments made by DUP Ballymena Councillor Reuben Glover.

“Councillor Glover said that ‘girls shouldn’t dress as if they are standing at a street corner’ in the context of discussing sexual assault. As a young female councillor, I find those remarks utterly disgraceful and completely unacceptable.

“It is blatant victim blaming.”

The TUV representative said any suggestion that clothing could be connected to whether a woman or girl becomes the victim of sexual assault was both wrong and dangerous.

“Let me be absolutely clear: women and girls are never responsible for the actions of predators,” she said.

“The blame lies solely and entirely with those who commit these horrific crimes.”

Message posted during Ballymena disorder

According to the Belfast Telegraph, the original message was posted on June 9, 2025, in a WhatsApp group entitled North Antrim DUP Association.

It followed an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena on June 7. Two 14-year-old Romanian boys were subsequently arrested and charged, but prosecutors dropped the charges against the teenagers five months later.

In the message reported by the newspaper, Councillor Glover wrote: “Folks don’t be gaen mad here.

“The same thing happened a week or so back but it was a different story every day and yes I don’t agree with what happened that waen on Saturday night but for what I seen young girls dressed well if I was there parent they’d be staying home.

“But here is a good question where was there parents nowhere to be seen not giving a toss I have a full council meeting tonight but I will play it by ear to see what the rest do before I make a move. [sic]”

Another member of the group reportedly responded:

“I don’t say much in this group as I don’t know everyone. But I have never heard anything as stupid in my life Reuben to this comment mate. [sic]”

Glover stands over message

When questioned by the Belfast Telegraph about whether he believed there was a connection between sexual assault and how women dressed, Councillor Glover said boys should be taught to treat girls well.

However, he added:

“Girls shouldn’t dress as if they’re standing at a street corner. I don’t like that in a girl.”

He continued:

“I can’t tell a girl to wear a pair of trousers or longer skirt, but it doesn’t give a fella a right to interfere.”

Councillor Glover told the newspaper he stood over the message, but said the remarks represented his personal views and that he had not been speaking in his capacity as a councillor.

‘Our words carry weight’

Councillor Henry said victim-blaming attitudes had no place in society, particularly when expressed by those elected to represent the public.

“Every woman and girl should be free to wear what they choose, walk where they choose, and live without fear of violence or harassment,” she said.

“As public representatives, our words carry weight. We have a responsibility to support victims, challenge harmful attitudes, and send a clear message that violence against women and girls will never be tolerated.

“Comments like these do the exact opposite.”

She added:

“My thoughts are with every survivor who may have been hurt, angered or let down by these reported remarks.

“You deserve to be believed, supported and never made to feel responsible for the crimes committed against you.”

DUP says responsibility lies with perpetrators

In a statement published by the Belfast Telegraph, a DUP spokesperson said there could be no excuse or justification for criminal behaviour and that responsibility for sexual offences lay solely with perpetrators.

The spokesperson said:

“Like other representatives in the area, Alderman Glover was concerned for the welfare of constituents at a time of significant tension within the community.

“However, he regrets the comments which he expressed himself in a message within a closed group at the time and accepts it may have been interpreted in a way that was certainly not intended.

“He apologises for any offence caused by this.”

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the language used by public representatives when discussing sexual violence, with Councillor Henry insisting that political figures have a responsibility to challenge — rather than reinforce — attitudes which could leave survivors feeling blamed for crimes committed against them.