Kristen Stewart Made "Enormous Mistake" Equating Fame With Rape

Twilight heroine apologizes for comments likening her treatment by the paparazzi to "rape"; actress is a longtime supporter of rape victims advocacy groups

Kristen Stewart is, unlike the bloodsuckers and lycanthropes of her cinematic date nights, only human.

Which she just so happened to prove the other day by opening her otherwise pursed mouth just wide enough to allow her foot straight in.

But credit that "perfect upbringing" of hers with being able to admit her mistakes. Even when they're of epically headdesk proportions. So what'd she say?

When waxing philosophical for her Elle UK cover story this month, K.Stew was asked about the paparazzi intrusion into her life. She mused:

"What you don't see are the cameras shoved in my face and the bizarre intrusive questions being asked, or the people falling over themselves, screaming and taunting to get a reaction.

"The photos are so…I feel like I'm looking at someone being raped. A lot of the time I can't handle it. It's f---ed. I never expected that this would be my life."

If you successfully chose the second sentence as the spot where her publicist had a heart attack, then congratulations!

Of course, every star one suffers a bout of verbal diarrhea once in a while, and Kristen was wise enough to offer up a rapid fire apology for hers—albeit after an uproar.

Specifically it was rape victims' advocacy groups crying foul. Ironically, Stewart has long been an advocate herself, having filmed PSAs for both RAINN, the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, and SOC, Security on Campus, in recent years.

"I really made an enormous mistake—clearly and obviously," she told People of the offensive gaffe. "And I'm really sorry about my choice of words.

"I've made stupid remarks before, and I've always reasoned: 'Whatever. They can think what they want.'"

And while the sentiment still stands, Kristen said she wishes she'd chosen less inflammatory—and insensitive—language to explain her plight.

" 'Violated' definitely would have been a better way of expressing the thought," she said.

Of course, Stewart's past support of rape awareness groups and rape victim advocacy organizations makes the mistake all the more tolling for the actress.

"People thinking that I'm insensitive about this subject rips my guts out," she said. "I made a big mistake."

True. But she also made a big apology. That's gotta count for something, right?

It did for RAINN.

"We appreciate Kristen Stewart's sincere apology regarding these comments," Katherine Hull, the spokeswoman for RAINN, said in a statement. "RAINN looks forward to continuing our work with Kristen to raise awareness and ensure that all victims are connected with the care they deserve through the National Sexual Assault Hotlines."

(Originally published on June 4, 2010 at 7:16 a.m. PT)