Women Out and About Together: SlutWalks, Blame Games, and Reclaiming Names

SlutWalk marchersBy now you may have heard about how SlutWalk Toronto got started, and how a small group of people in our city kicked off what became a global movement by challenging harmful, victim-blaming language. Three years later, we’re still focused because victim-blaming remains a problem – one that validates the actions of perpetrators of sexual violence and upholds many forms of systemic violence.

The first SlutWalk rally in Toronto in 2011 lit the spark for grassroots action in scores of countries worldwide where organizers have rallied communities for marches against victim-blaming. Some of these marches have been called SlutWalks, others have taken locally-driven names; all have been a part of international, collective action against victim-blaming in support of survivors of sexual violence.
SlutWalk Toronto continues because survivors of sexual violence deserve our support – not our scrutiny.

SlutWalk’s allies include, among others: Blowing the Whistle on Sexual Assault on Campus, Centre for Police Acountability, Good for Her, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre, YWCA Toronto – and loving men!

Join fearless women in our ongoing efforts!

From the SlutWalkToronto website:
We do not require participants to want to reclaim “slut” or any other slurs that have been used against them, nor do we require any particular dress code. We ask only that you come to support an end to victim-blaming and rape culture. Regardless of the victim’s ability, age, attire, gender, housing situation, immigration status, income, intoxication, job, race, or relationship with the abuser, the only person ever responsible for sexual violence is the perpetrator.

The first SlutWalk_Toronto Canada_April 2011

Why use the word Slut in this provocative way?  Click on the link and read the FAQs:

http://www.slutwalktoronto.com/about/faqs

Zócalo Poets featured SlutWalk Toronto in 2012.  Click on the link to read background details + poems!

https://zocalopoets.com/category/poets/karla-baez/

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