Dotcom 'sorry', then tweets rape jokes link

Kim Dotcom has apologised for making a series of comments about rape on Twitter. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A sexual violence prevention agency has told Kim Dotcom rape jokes are "never okay" after he posted a series of comments about the crime on Twitter.

Dotcom's remarks to his 130,000-plus followers included a link to a story headlined "15 rape jokes that work" and a comment about his wife "feeling like she was raped" after the police raid on his Coatesville mansion.

Those posts followed an inappropriate joke about rape from the German internet tycoon over the weekend.

His original tweet has been deleted.

Rape Prevention Education director Kim McGregor said the comments could be hurtful to survivors of sexual violence.

"Rape jokes aren't funny. It's never okay to make a joke about rape. People who have experienced rape are often traumatised for years. They're violated, they're humiliated and it's nothing to joke about."

Dr McGregor said Dotcom could make a difference to help survivors if he educated himself about rape.

He should have thought about how his words could have affected rape victims before posting his tweets, she said.

"It's a serious word and we'd prefer that it wasn't used lightly. You have to make sure rape victims are not the butt of a joke."

The author of the anonymous Keeping Stock blog said Dotcom's sense of humour missed the mark.

"As he tries to portray himself as a poor man's Julian Assange, we're starting to believe that Mr Dotcom may not be the jolly German giant media darling that folk such as John Campbell have fawned over for months."

The joke has since been removed, but Dotcom today defended himself, this morning posting the tweet: "The world is full of critics. They make no mistakes cause they attempt nothing.

"I create, I fight, I tweet, I joke, I make mistakes. Got me!"

He then sent a link to a story headlined "15 rape jokes that work", telling his followers: "WARNING: Do not read beyond this point unless you have a sense of humor! Here are 15 rape jokes that work."

Dotcom's followers weren't happy about the post, with @nzben saying: "I feel it would have been a better call just to let things lie. Or apologise."

@Inventory 2 said: "Dear Kim Dotcom. Rape is never a joking matter. N-E-V-E-R."

And @Mr_Pukeko said: "I'm not going to retweet Kim Dotcom's "15 rape jokes that work" not worth giving him the oxygen of undeserved publicity. What a dickhead."

Dotcom offered a sort-of apology over the link's headline: "I do apologize if I offended anyone. Kate Harding is a feminist who got raped and SHE thought those jokes were funny. I used her headline."

In one of his most recent entries, Dotcom apologised for bringing up the topic and asked for forgiveness.

"Rape is the worst kind of crime. My wife told me she felt like she was raped after the raid. I should not have brought this up. Forgive me," he said.

He followed that up with: "There has been a lot of pain, anger & frustration in the last few months. I turn those situations around with laughter. It's how I cope."

TVNZ reporter Heather du Plessis-Allan discovered on Sunday the gag didn't get many laughs among her Twitter followers.

"Wow. A full 30 people unfollowed me after I retweeted Kim Dotcom. Not much love for the man out there?"

- Herald online