Colorado State Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Westminster, apologized Tuesday for a comment she made to a rape victim who testified against a bill banning concealed-carry weapons from college campuses.
Amanda Collins, 27, of Reno, Nev., a victim of rape, testified against House Bill 1226 before the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Monday. She told the committee that had she been permitted to use her concealed-carry permit and carry her gun on campus, the incident may have ended differently. She testified she is a martial arts expert.
"I just want to say that, actually statistics are not on your side even if you had a gun," Hudak said during the hearing. "And, chances are that if you would have had a gun, then he would have been able to get that from you and possibly use it against you."
Hudak’s statement drew criticism on social media and by journalists at the hearing.
Dave Kopel, a professor at the University of Denver law school and author of a law-school textbook on firearms law and policy, said Hudak's statement displayed the senator's "self-righteous, ignorant bigotry."
Collins on Tuesday said Hudak's comments were shocking and disturbed her deeply.
"I had a hard time falling asleep because I couldn't stop thinking about what she said to me," Collins said.
Collins said Hudak's comments, while painful, were not incorrect. "The stats are against me," Collins said, "but I am going to fight because of my experience."
In a prepared statement, Hudak said she didn’t mean to be insensitive and was glad she had “the opportunity to offer (the victim) a sincere apology in a private conversation."
But Collins questions the senator's motive for her apology. "I don't know how genuine it really was," Collins said.
The Colorado Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee passed the bill that would ban concealed-carry weapons on college campuses.
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