SlutWalks protest the blaming of victims for sexual violence
Source: Agencies |
May 7, 2011, Saturday
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AN international series of protests known as SlutWalks, sparked by a Toronto police officer's flippant comment that women should avoid dressing like "sluts" to avoid being raped or victimized, is taking root in the United States.
Some women and men who protest dress in nothing more remarkable than jeans and T-shirts, while others wear provocative or revealing outfits to bring attention to "slut-shaming," or shaming women for being sexual, and the treatment of sexual assault victims.
"It was taking the blame off the rapist and on the victim," said Nicole Sullivan, 21, a student at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and an organizer of the SlutWalk planned today in that city. "So we are using these efforts to reclaim the word 'slut.'"
The police officer made his comments in January to a group of York University students at a safety forum. He later apologized, but his comments were publicized widely on Facebook and Twitter. They inspired a march in Toronto last month that drew more than 3,000 people, as well as SlutWalks since then in Dallas, Asheville, North Carolina, and Ottawa, Ontario.
In addition to Boston, marches are planned in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Reno, Nevada, and Austin, Texas.
"The event is in protest of a culture that we think is too permissive when it comes to rape and sexual assault," said Siobhan Connors, 20, of Lynn, Massachusetts, another Boston organizer. "It's to bring awareness to the shame and degradation women still face for expressing their sexuality... essentially for behaving in a healthy and sexual way."
The events are similar to "Take Back the Night" rallies and other marches that aim to bring attention to sexual violence. But there are key differences.
SlutWalkers have worn T-shirts with the word "slut" and held signs that read "sluts pay taxes." Some women have skated around on inline skates in lingerie, while their male supporters wore shirts reading, "I love sluts."
The rallies typically end with speakers and workshops on stopping sexual violence and calling on law enforcement agencies not to blame victims.
Connors said organizers had planned for about 100 people to attend the Boston event; by Thursday, more than 2,300 had responded to a Facebook shout-out.
The officer who made the comments, Constable Michael Sanguinetti, was disciplined but remains on duty, Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said.
"We said at the time that his comments were entirely unacceptable, that they didn't reflect in any way what we train and teach our people," Pugash said.
Some women and men who protest dress in nothing more remarkable than jeans and T-shirts, while others wear provocative or revealing outfits to bring attention to "slut-shaming," or shaming women for being sexual, and the treatment of sexual assault victims.
"It was taking the blame off the rapist and on the victim," said Nicole Sullivan, 21, a student at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and an organizer of the SlutWalk planned today in that city. "So we are using these efforts to reclaim the word 'slut.'"
The police officer made his comments in January to a group of York University students at a safety forum. He later apologized, but his comments were publicized widely on Facebook and Twitter. They inspired a march in Toronto last month that drew more than 3,000 people, as well as SlutWalks since then in Dallas, Asheville, North Carolina, and Ottawa, Ontario.
In addition to Boston, marches are planned in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Reno, Nevada, and Austin, Texas.
"The event is in protest of a culture that we think is too permissive when it comes to rape and sexual assault," said Siobhan Connors, 20, of Lynn, Massachusetts, another Boston organizer. "It's to bring awareness to the shame and degradation women still face for expressing their sexuality... essentially for behaving in a healthy and sexual way."
The events are similar to "Take Back the Night" rallies and other marches that aim to bring attention to sexual violence. But there are key differences.
SlutWalkers have worn T-shirts with the word "slut" and held signs that read "sluts pay taxes." Some women have skated around on inline skates in lingerie, while their male supporters wore shirts reading, "I love sluts."
The rallies typically end with speakers and workshops on stopping sexual violence and calling on law enforcement agencies not to blame victims.
Connors said organizers had planned for about 100 people to attend the Boston event; by Thursday, more than 2,300 had responded to a Facebook shout-out.
The officer who made the comments, Constable Michael Sanguinetti, was disciplined but remains on duty, Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said.
"We said at the time that his comments were entirely unacceptable, that they didn't reflect in any way what we train and teach our people," Pugash said.
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