A few weeks ago, Constable Michael Sanguinetti a policeman in
Toronto, was chatting to some students about how to stay safe. One
of the things he said was; “I’ve been told I’m not supposed to say
this – however, women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not
to be victimised”. I just checked the calendar and, yes, it’s still
2011, no strange time machine wizardry has brought us back to the
dark ages.
Sanguinetti has apologised since, but the statement travelled
around the internet and has mobilised women all over the western
world. The Constable’s case of severe foot-in-mouth brings up so
many things that women are just sick of hearing. The obvious one is
that it’s never the victim’s fault they are raped. No one asks for
it. Also, one rapist’s slutty is another’s virginal. How is one to
manage the slut-spectrum?
There is uproar, as well there should, and groups all over the
place are organising Slut Walks in protest. In the UK,
thousands of women are expected in central London for a
SlutWalk on the 4th of June, with other events planned for Cardiff,
Edinburgh, Brighton and Birmingham. In more than 20 US states as
well as Argentina, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and
Sweden, other Slut Walks have been taking place.
