Okay, I know the title of this post is a little jarring, but let me explain. The SlutWalk protest marches began on April 3, 2011, in Toronto, Canada, and has since gathered support all over the world. The purpose of the SlutWalk is to protest the practice of explaining away sexual assault and/or rape based on how a woman dresses. These protests are a result of a statement made by Toronto police officer Constable Michael Sanguinetti. Earlier this year, Officer Sanguinetti spoke at a safety forum at York University. During his speech, Officer Sanguinetti remarked that women should avoid dressing like sluts so as to not be victimized. Oh no he didn’t!



So, here is my two cents regarding the SlutWalk movement: I generally think the idea behind the protests are great. Allocating blame to women who have been sexually assaulted and/or raped is never acceptable. The way a woman dresses should not be considered when judging the state of mind of an assailant. The blame and shame should always remain with the perpetrator…always!
What’s worse is when members of law enforcement transfer their frustrations on the prevalence of sex-based crimes to the victims. The mission of SlutWalk NYC says it best: “No matter who you are, No matter where you work, No matter how you identify, No matter how you flirt, No matter what you wear, No matter whom you choose to love, No matter what you said before: NO ONE has the right to touch you without your consent.”
While the overall mission of the SlutWalk is to challenge “rape culture, victim-blaming and slut-shaming,” there are many who criticize the use of the word “slut” to describe the protests. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with the use of the word…it is a strong word for an equally strong problem. Sometimes, it is necessary to use uncomfortable terms to draw necessary attention to issues confronting our society. Remember, it was the use of the term “slut” that started all of this.
Have you all heard of the SlutWalk movement? How do you feel about it?
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