U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry raised eyebrows with his claim that the use of fossil fuels can help prevent sexual assault.

Perry was speaking about the importance of expanding fossil fuel use in remote villages in Africa during a panel discussion hosted by NBC and Axios in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. He recalled a recent trip to Africa, where he said a young girl told him how electricity is important to her because she often has to read by the light of a fire that brings with it harmful fumes.

The former Texas governor then continued on something of a tangent saying:

“But also from the standpoint of sexual assault. When the lights are on, when you have light that shines, the righteousness, if you will on those types of acts,” Perry said.

When a reporter for The Hill tweeted out a transcribed copy of the comment, it was met with nearly 200 comments, the majority of which ridiculed the energy secretary’s remarks.

Full Perry quote on fossil fuels/sexual assault pic.twitter.com/KH6pyApIYU — Timothy Cama (@Timothy_Cama) November 2, 2017

Who knew that it was LIGHT that would stop sexual predators dead in their tracks? — Jessica (@jessicasunja) November 2, 2017

Sexual assault can be prevented if the lights are on? It never happens during the day? Only light from fossil fuels? No solar & wind? #Crazy — Jeff H (@Hoopgreen) November 2, 2017

Some Twitter users took the opportunity to make light of the comment by comparing sexual predators to vampires or cockroaches, which are notorious for scurrying from the light.

Does sunlight stop em? Like vampires. Only fossil fuel produced electric light or can I use batteries? What about candles...from a church? — Darren Lee (@DarrenDLee) November 2, 2017

You can never go wrong with garlic -- repels evil AND makes food taste delicious — Elizabeth DeHoff (@ElizabethDeHoff) November 2, 2017

Fear of light: one of the many things sexual predators have in common with cockroaches. — The Just Luckies (@TheJustLuckies) November 2, 2017

Other commenters pointed to the potential for solar energy to produce the same results as fossil fuels in this respect.

Yes, but it's about solar energy! His idea about fossil fuels cancels out the benefits of no fumes. Less eye trouble, but more asthma! — Beckstle (@Beckstle) November 2, 2017

All stupidity aside, wouldn't the villages in Africa do a lot better with solar power than just fossil fuel? Just saying... — Anita S ☮️ (@ASauer8) November 2, 2017

One poster noted the abundance of fossil fuel in the U.S. where allegations of sexual assault against Perry’s boss U.S. President Donald Trump, executives at Fox News and Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein have surfaced.

Pretty sure his boss, @realDonaldTrump, & all his Fox buddies as well as Harvey have access to fossil fuels. How is that working out? — Scott Russo (@russoscot) November 2, 2017

Some users shared personal stories of assault to counter Perry’s suggestion.

The lights were on when I was harassed! — WendyG (@wglaaber) November 2, 2017

Wow light would have prevented my rapes! Wait the sun was up so how would a lightbulb help? — Cherie :P (@NCcherie) November 2, 2017