On June 4, 2011, people of many different orientations and genders took to the streets of downtown Chicago, IL, to demonstrate not only their freedom of expression, but their right to freedom from sexual violence. The city’s first-ever Slutwalk, based on the demonstration of the same name in Toronto, was organized by Jamie Keiles, Chicagoan and sociology student at the University of Chicago, on a non-existent budget. The event was organized and pulled off due to a great response from volunteers and the Chicago community. Signs and literature were made available to not only walkers, but to interested passersby.
The term ‘Slutwalk’ was coined in Toronto after an affiliate of the Toronto Police Service was quoted in January 2011 as saying, “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order to not be victimized”. This struck a chord with not only Toronto residents, but with many people at large: Should anyone have to live in fear of sexual assault because it could be deemed ‘our fault’? Is it then the victim’s fault for getting raped, as opposed to the rapist’s fault for perpetrating the act? Slutwalk Chicago’s mission statement succinctly sums up the ideals of the walkers and the goals of the march:
“Inspired by Slutwalk Toronto, Slutwalk Chicago is a march in support of education and against intolerance. Slutwalk Chicago aims to combat the myth of “the slut” and the culture of victim blaming that prevails the world over. Our mission is to enforce the truth that those who experience sexual assault are never at fault– no exceptions. We seek to combat a culture that teaches ‘don’t get raped,’ as opposed to ‘don’t rape.’”
The walk began at Thompson Center Plaza, where walkers were given signs and chant sheets in order to give a little more voice to the march. After a successful loop all the way to Millenium Park, the march then wound its way to the finish at Daley Plaza, where speakers lined up to address the masses. Perhaps the most valuable part of the march was the volume and diversity of the people that joined the walk that day: so many different races, genders, orientations, and creeds banded together in order to display solidarity with victims and a desire to engage others in the important dialogue that is the discussion about sexual assault.
In 2007, the number of sexual assaults – not including rapes that the FBI excludes – numbered 248,300, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The estimated number of men raped per year, according to the Department of Justice – 93,000. 21% of women have reported being raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Additionally, approximately 33 million US adults admit that they have experienced domestic abuse, and 6 in 10 adults say that they know someone who has experienced it.
It is important to remember that there is no stereotype for sexual assault. Anyone can be sexually assaulted for a number of motivations, and is not limited to just women. Teaching children abstinence education does not help, and while healthy sex education courses can be important, it is imperative that we teach our children that rape and assault is unacceptable in any form for any reason. It is something I don’t personally recall hearing in my health classes, but is a pressing matter, especially to teach young people to grow up and conduct themselves in appropriate ways. They have the tools to have a healthy sexual growth, and they also have the choice to use those tools in both good and bad ways. It is our responsibility to not only educate youth as well as we can, but everyone else also.
The use of Slutwalk as a platform for both initiating and perpetuating this important dialogue was a good idea and a useful tool. As we marched the streets, passersby watched and occasionally became involved by waving, honking, or calling out. This is not a beginning to this discussion – though some are new to it – but rather another positive step forward on a road that continues to be trod.
If you dress like a “slut”, that is how others will see you. Dressing that way also tends to attract low-lifes, who aren’t as “enlightened” as you claim to be, and figure that you are offering them what you are showing them.
The reality is this: How you look is how people form their first impression of you. Whether you think it is fair, or not, it is how life is.
@SNuss,
Please, feel free to find where I called myself “enlightened”? I don’t see what I said as a form of enlightenment, but as a moral standpoint. Regardless of how they dress, their race, their religion, their gender… No one deserves to be sexually assaulted. Sexual assault is not strictly something a man does to a woman; it’s a lot more complex than that. So what if someone found turtlenecks provocative, and think that because I was wearing was an offer to them because they found it sexy/irresistible does that mean I deserve to be assaulted because someone just couldn’t control themselves? What if I were a man wearing tight pants, and someone just couldn’t help themselves because they liked the way he looked in those jeans. Perhaps that first scenario goes a bit too far. However, it goes back to the same basic premise: that it shouldn’t matter what someone wears. It doesn’t mean they’re “offering” or “asking for it”.
Your definition of “slut” is your own; you obviously have your own idea of how sluts dress, so I won’t try dissuade you from that. As for “how you look is how people form their first impression of you”, if I were to wear a modest two-piece to the beach because I feel good about how my body looks, does that make me a slut? If I like to wear lipstick, if I like to show a little cleavage sometimes, does that make me a slut? In that case, it’s your interpretation; however, the real point about Slutwalk is that “fair or not, it is how life is” is a point of contention. No one should have to be turned away by police. No one should go without help. No one should have to worry about no one believing them because of their gender/lifestyle/what-have-you. While things changing immediately would be fantastic, we are well aware that this march does not change the status quo. Like I said in the article, it’s about beginning and continuing a dialogue ABOUT sexual assault and rape.
Sexual assault should not be about “how life is”, because that’s a horrible way to live. Why not take a stand and start talking about something that could help potentially prevent other sexual assaults?
As for the “dressing like a slut” thing, here’s an article you may want to read: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/rape-of-woman-in-skinny-jeans-not-possible-20100430-tzai.html
The woman was accused of crying wolf because her rapist ‘probably’ couldn’t have pulled off the skinny jeans that she was wearing. Notice, also, that this is a case of acquaintance rape.
I used the term “enlightened”, because your post implied that you were above judging others solely by appearance. Sorry if that impression was inaccurate.
Wearing a modest swimsuit on a beach isn’t a good comparison, as everyone on a beach is wearing swimwear of some type. Now, if you were wearing a thong, and a top that is three sizes too small, that might be considered “slutty”, or, at least, showing poor fashion sense.
Just as an example, if I walked through a bad part of town, late at night, staggering drunk, with twenty-dollar bills hanging out of my pocket, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I was beaten and robbed. I wouldn’t deserve that treatment, but I would have put myself in a condition for it to happen.
You can’t rely on others to protect you, if you don’t seem to want to care for yourself. I hope that better explains my opinion.
I have to, in part, agree with some of what snuss is saying. NO ONE deserves to be sexually assaulted. However, when you put yourself into a dangerous situation, it should come as no surprise if you are harmed. I am not in any way implying that women who dress provacatively deserve to be attacked. However, I am am imploring that young women take responsibility for themselves. Do your best to stay out of dangerous situations. There is no reason to dress like a hooker. The men that kind of image attracts are not worth your time. They are after only one thing.
I have spent some time as a rape/sexual assault volunteer advocate. Rape and sexual assault are horrible things. There are things you can do to protect yourself against the likelihood of attack. Only you can be responsible for yourself. You do not deserve to be attacked, but you cannot act completely surprised if you put yourself in a dangerous situation and harm befalls you.
The trouble with the sentiments expressed by pennyln and SNuss is that the “dangerous situations” where rapes are likely to occur are usually everyday places that we think of as safe…our schools, our friend’s house, our locked apartment. This is where rapes occur most often. If someone attacks you, the odds are its not going to be a stranger who thinks you are either weak prey – it will be someone you know in an environment that you know! (See rainn.org)
Wearing conservative clothes will not protect you. People like to think that following certain rules will keep them safe from rape, but rape statistics show differently. Believing in bogus ‘safety tips’ serves only a psychological need to make one feel in control, it does not protect you.
One other thing: You could dress like a nun, and some deranged idiot might still attack you. You need to minimize your exposure to unsafe situations, if you are alone.
@SNuss, you do have a valid point. Obviously walking into situations that could be potentially dangerous is really not a great idea.However, many sexual abuse cases are committed by acquaintances of the victim, and you can’t really limit your spectrum so far as to assume that every situation you put yourself in will/could be dangerous. Rape is not always about “asking for it” or wearing revealing clothing. It’s about someone forcing their will onto another person; it’s about power and control over someone. Slutwalk intended to open a healthy dialogue about the educational difference between “don’t get raped” and “don’t rape”.
And even if someone did find themselves down an alley at night weaponless/carrying a bunch of cash and was sexually assaulted, for whatever reason, police/judges/anyone shouldn’t say to a victim “Well, your skinny jeans were too tight, so you’re to blame/are lying”. Or dismiss their case based on prejudices. Victims should be offered help, because even if it’s doubtful to the investigators, victims (along with the perpetrator) are innocent until proven guilty.
Earlier in the year, a group I belong to on campus (PRIDE) joined with our feminist group (FLAME) to assist them in an event they were hosting called Take Back The Night. The stories I heard from the sexual assault survivors, young women around my age, had nothing to do with provocative clothing or situations that are consistently classified as ‘dangerous’… they were at parties, in their own apartments, in places where you wouldn’t expect to be attacked. They weren’t drunk, they weren’t ‘asking for it’… A couple of them personally knew their attackers. We didn’t have any male speakers, which would have definitely been an interesting side of the story to hear.
I am not innocent of making snap judgements based on appearance, you are correct. However, my first thought is not ‘I want to dominate and violate that person without consent’. Regardless of the context the assault is put in, whether in a public bathroom or an alley or your own bedroom, anyone forced to perform non-consensual sexual acts against their will is still a victim.
Thank you all for taking the time to comment back, I appreciate it; it’s always great to engage in conversations like these and see different points of view.
Nfangora-I realize completely the statistics on sexual assault. Like I said, I’ve spent some time as a rape crisis advocate, and pretty much all of the calls I went on involved young women who were attacked by acquaintances or family members. I was simply replying to the above conversation that women need to protect themselves in certain situations. It almost never depends on the clothes you are wearing-it often depends on wWHERE you are. Again, you don’t deserve to be attacked.
I also wish it was called something a bit more couth. My dad doesn’t like sexual assault, but he would never be involved with something called ‘Slutwalk’, nor would my mom. I think the name is probably a big turn-off for some people. So I don’t know how much of a dialogue something called ‘slutwalk’ will open. It seems like the name is mostly for shock factor.
BTW, what are your views on Concealed-carry? It’s implimentation has been shown to reduce violent crime. And, in a conflict between a 120-pound woman, and a 250-pound man, a weapon can equalize the situation, See: http://www.kc3.com/editorial/womans_perspective.htm
Great blog, Shauna! I’ve supported your blog with one today – it’s not the victim’s fault, regardless of how she is dressed!
http://blogs.e-rockford.com/kriskieper/2011/07/13/stop-excusing-rapists-and-blaming-the-victim/
Kris
I think the idea behind SlutWalk is good. However, explain to me why the organizers are using an insulting term like “slut” to somehow empower women and help bring awareness to rape and rape prevention. Isn’t that like using the “N” word to promote African-American pride? I can’t seem to square that up and find it odd that educated and enlightened women would support the use of that word in this effort when in other contexts they fight against it as an insult.