After accusations that she trivialised domestic violence during a debate on Stanley Johnson on last week’s episode of BBC Question Time, presenter Fiona Bruce has said she will step down from her position as an ambassador for the charity Refuge.
In a statement, Bruce expressed regret that her remarks, which she claimed to be legally required to make but that were “mischaracterised” by a social media uproar, had upset victims of domestic abuse.
Being a privileged woman in the public spotlight, Bruce said, “I have been a dedicated advocate and activist for all survivors of domestic abuse. I have utilised this position to bring this issue to the forefront, particularly in my work with Refuge for more than 25 years. Yet as a result of what happened last week, I was subject to a social media backlash, most of which misrepresented what I said and took the form of insults directed at me personally.
“The survivors are my top priority because they are the only people who matter in any of this. I believe it is appropriate for me to stand down from my position with Refuge since the last thing I would want is for this problem to in any way detract from Refuge’s crucial work on their behalf.
“I’ve struggled with this decision because I really believe in supporting their efforts and raising awareness of this problem. I’ll continue to contribute actively, even if only from the sidelines for now.
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