Lena Dunham apologises for 'sexual predator' joke

Actress and writer Lena Dunham. Photo / Getty Images

Lena Dunham has apologised for joking about being a "sexual predator" in her memoir.

The Girls creator and star - who was recently accused by right-wing blog Truth Revolt of sexually abusing her sister, Grace Dunham, now 22, because of a passage in her new book, Not That Kind Of Girl, in which she recalls leaning down between her then one-year-old sibling's legs to "carefully spread open her vagina," and shrieking when she discovered it was full of "six or seven pebbles" - insists she does "not condone any kind of abuse under any circumstances" and didn't mean to be "insensitive."

In a statement to Time.com today (04.11.14), the 28-year-old Golden Globe winning actress said: "I am dismayed over the recent interpretation of events described in my book Not That Kind of Girl.

"First and foremost, I want to be very clear that I do not condone any kind of abuse under any circumstances.

"Childhood sexual abuse is a life-shattering event for so many, and I have been vocal about the rights of survivors. If the situations described in my book have been painful or triggering for people to read, I am sorry, as that was never my intention. I am also aware that the comic use of the term 'sexual predator' was insensitive, and I'm sorry for that as well."

She added: "As for my sibling, Grace, she is my best friend, and anything I have written about her has been published with her approval."

Lena initially reacted with anger after Truth Revolt wrote a blog post last Thursday (30.10.14) entitled 'Lena Dunham Describes Sexually Abusing Her Little Sister' and branded it "disgusting" for taking an excerpt from her book out of context.

She wrote on Twitter on Saturday (01.11.14): "The right wing news story that I molested my little sister isn't just LOL- it's really f**king upsetting and disgusting.

"I told a story about being a weird 7 year old. I bet you have some too, old men, that I'd rather not hear. And yes, this is a rage spiral. (sic)"

- Bang! Showbiz