In the wake of the scandal surrounding NFL Ravens’ player Ray Rice being caught on camera assaulting his then fiance while on an elevator, Fox & Friends yesterday decided to place the blame for the assault squarely on the shoulders of the victim, Janay Rice, and suggest the biggest take away from the whole incident was to make sure to assault people where there aren’t any cameras around. Think Progress reports:

Responding to the video, Fox host Brian Kilmeade on Monday blasted the victims of domestic violence, criticizing Palmer (now Janay Rice) and other women who don’t break up with their partner after a domestic violence incident, saying they send a “terrible message.”

Kilmeade then proceeded to provide mocking advice to Palmer, quipping, “I think the message is, take the stairs.” Co-host Steve Doocey gamely joined in, “The message is, when you’re in an elevator, there’s a camera.”

Today, Fox & Friends responded to the backlash by stating, “Comments that were made during this story made some feel like we are taking the situation too lightly. We are not, we were not. Domestic violence is a very serious issue to us, I can assure you.”

Watch the news clip showing the incendiary comments, AFTER THE JUMP…