Slutwalks: A New Revolution

By: Eisha Gupta

Ever since a Toronto policeman told a bunch of university students to avoid dressing like “sluts” to prevent being victimized or raped, many protest marches have been initiated in countries around the world. SlutWalks bring together men and women who are opposed to a widespread belief that the way you dress is a prime incentive for rape. The walks started out, as previously mentioned, in Toronto and have been held in Brisbane, the UK and are slated to be held in India and some Middle Eastern countries as well. The people joining the walk come from all sections of society, including rape victims themselves. They dress in any manner of attire to show everyone that nobody calls to get raped; rather it is the mentality of the rapist that has to be corrected. A Facebook group has been formed to hold one in India’s capital. Though the precise date and location are being debated and also the attire (to suit Delhi’s sensibilities) this movement looks set for success especially in a city where the number of rapes happening every day is staggering. There are people who argue that the word ‘slut’ itself is derogatory since no woman needs to justify what she does with her body and that is a fair point. One of the objectives of the SlutWalks in other countries was to “reclaim the word ‘slut'”. Joining this walk sends out a strong message of support for all rape victims and hopefully the people gathered there will change mindsets of those who firmly think it is the victims fault.

The facebook event link :  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134134013328137