Words chosen carelessly in the arena of commerce can land with devastating weight in the lives of those who have survived violence. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, a man long accustomed to wielding provocation as a business instrument, found himself confronted with that truth after describing rival airlines as 'high-fare rapists' — a phrase that sent rape survivors to crisis lines in distress. Ten days after refusing to apologize, and after quiet conversations with those closest to him, he reversed course, offering what he called a sincere reckoning with the harm his carelessness had caused. The ep
Ryanair CEO O'Leary apologizes for 'high-fare rapists' remarks after backlash
Rape victims and survivors reported being upset and distressed by O'Leary's use of the term, prompting calls to the crisis centre.