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In support of Slutwalk

By Chris Nybom

May 29 was the Montreal Slutwalk and while it has gathered the interest of thousands of supporters it has also received some critiques, comments questioning the effectiveness of the protest, and some downright vulgar and even threatening statements.

In response, I have been jotting down a few notes regarding my personal opinion of Slutwalk in an effort to try to explain the importance and significance of this protest.

Police blame the victim

On January 24 2011, a police representative in Toronto publicly tipped the scales of justice to privilege the perpetrators of sexual assault by stating to York University students, “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

In April, Toronto held the first Slutwalk in retaliation to this “blame the victim” statement asserted by the police representative and to stand up for victim-blaming, which seems to be the norm when it comes to sexual assaults.

While this view may not necessarily be shared by the entire police force, it’s still being circulated to the public, and thus individuals identify with the police’s perceptions. As free thinkers, we must question and challenge those in power when the bodies they govern lose focus and advocate statements that we find intolerable.

Reclaiming “slut”

The title SlutWalk has gathered some negative attention as people find it derogatory and others believe people will misinterpret the meaning.

Titling the protest Slutwalk is an effort to take back the power of the word “slut.” The Toronto police representative used the word “slut” as a tool, as a weapon, as a rational explanation for sexual assault. “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

He used the word “slut” as a label to disassociate the woman as a helpless victim and renegotiates her role as a slut. The duality of being a slut and a woman eludes responsibility from the perpetrator, as the woman is no longer a helpless victim because she is seen as provoking the sexual assault by her choice of clothing, or lack of clothing.

However, the clothing is not the cause of sexual assault. A woman should be able to walk down the street naked, free from fear of being sexually assaulted, but not so much from receiving a citation.

The impact of victim-blaming

The relationship between victim and perpetrator has a distinct line, yet the realization that this line is being disregarded and has become significantly vague is of great concern because the philosophy of “blaming the victim” degrades the very principle of law.

If we blame the victim for sexual assault then we reallocate the blame from the perpetrator to the victim, thus reducing the perpetrator’s status as a criminal by justifying their actions.

Society has indisputably lost its sense of justice and morality and has forced victims of sexual assault into the crevasses of neglect where they are left to question themselves. Was my skirt too short? Why did I walk home alone last night? Why did I have had another drink? Why wasn’t I strong enough?
The implication that victims play a role in their sexual assault concedes to the fact that many sexual assaults go unreported. Here we have a representative for the police publicly blaming victims for being assaulted. This arrogance perpetuates an intolerance towards sexual assault victims and dis-incorporates them from the right to lead a life free from crime.

The importance of agency

We are the founders of our reality, and thus we all possess the ability to alter our world. In cities across the globe SlutWalks are being held with hundreds of people flocking in support of the fight against the perceptions of sexual assault.

The fact that we have agency proves that we are unique, we are multi-faceted, we have opinions, and we have a voice that should be heard. Due to our finite life expectations, if we wish to have any remote impact on our society, then we must take action now and stand together in defiance against the production of victim-blaming.

Standing as an idle witness to the irrationality regarding sexual assault causes the bridges directed towards a society in which the term “justice” still holds some legitimacy to come crumbling down.

The same rationalizations that are used to blame victims of sexual assault are thus suggesting that they are victims of their own carelessness and stupidity. This is beyond the scope of my comprehension and I can only conclude with a quote from Emmanual Kant, “Dare to know, have the courage to use your own understanding.”