'Slut Walk 2013' which apparently happened last weekend in London was a protest march for women who believe that they deserve the right to walk around dressed as provocatively as they like and not risk getting attacked, beaten or raped.
In the beautiful world of equal rights, modern living and with the help of our fabulous criminal system this would be okay. But you know what, it isn't, for a million reasons. Partly it is because humans are humans and violence, domination, old world values and sex are driving forces in our nature. If you don't believe me SWITCH ON THE TV AND WATCH THE NEWS.
Secondly, whilst you might think you deserve that right in a western society, western society is full of non western people. If you walked around like that in any Muslim country, more fool you. If you do it here in London the chances are you may walk into someone who does not operate under western values. It might be one of these because this is how evil the world can be.
I understand what the organisers and protesters of 'Slut Walk' are TRYING to say, but I am hugely concerned about the message that this sends to young girls and women who think they are invincible. I'm talking about 17 year old girls who look 14, who wander around town on their own at 3 in the morning in very small dresses and EXPECT not to get raped and are convinced it won't ever happen to them because as far as they are concerned it's their right. It may be in theory. But you try telling that to the next sexual pervert you happen to find wandering around looking for someone just like you.
I am not under any circumstances saying they deserve it. Far from it. But we live in 2012 and never has it been a more dangerous time to live in.
I have never dressed provocatively because I have ALWAYS felt vulnerable out on my own or out at night. This is not because I have ever been attacked or raped because I haven't. But because I am fully aware of how dangerous mankind can be and how unpredictable it is. I know how easy it is to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and how in the heat of the moment, no matter what your rights may be on paper or how determined you might be, you might become another statistic.
You do realise that you're statistically no more likely to get raped wearing provocative clothing than wearing jeans and a t shirt? And a lot of people who rape women dressed provocatively are WESTERN. Take your Islamophobia elsewhere.
ReplyDeletepreach.
DeleteI am aware of that. I don't remember mentioning Islam though. Oh do you mean I DARED to mention the world Muslim????
ReplyDeleteI have a couple things to say:
ReplyDelete1) You said in the first paragraph that you are not a feminist and you don't believe you ever be one and you go on to say that you "don't ram [your own views] down anyone else's throat" which implies that feminism does that. Maybe it does but true feminists are about equality not just within the genders but also things of sexual orientation. Those views and ideas are sometimes rammed down peoples throats because at this point in time everyone should have equal writes.
2) SlutWalks are not completely about walking around with the risk of danger. They are about taking the blame away from the victim that does get raped-it is not the girl (or guys) fault for dressing a certain way it is the rapists fault for raping.
3) My friends and I are around seventeen years old. I am surrounded by seventeen year olds daily and even though I don't like most of them we aren't stupid enough to believe its okay to walk around at three in the morning alone. All the girls I know have grown up with the underlying fear that something could happen to them wherever they are. So, SlutWalks don't make me feel like I have invincibility and they are not meant to make people feel that way. I'm insulted that you seem to think that that is how easily swayed teenage girls are.
SlutWalks are about pointing out to misogynistic misinformed assholes that its not the victims fault for getting raped, but the rapists fault for raping; Some feminists are loud and obnoxious but you can look at parts of almost any group and say the same; and teenagers (and kids in general) are not dumb.
I'm pleased you have a sense of self awareness of your own vulnerability. Unfortunately recent experience at the time I wrote this article (and what inspired it - it wasn't just the article I linked to) suggested that 'some'girls' didn't seem to understand their own sense of mortality and thought that they should have the right to wander around town in the early hours dressed in little more than night dresses and that if they did get raped that was fate (seriously, someone actually said this to me). Yes they do have the right to walk around like that but we live in a world where there are a lot of nutters and it doesn't necessarily follow that they will not be harmed in some way and anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.
DeleteAlso, I live in a student town and seeing girls crawling around during the early hours, off their faces, often alone and obviously unable to defend themselves if something happened was not an uncommon sight.
We also had a spate of rapes in the town where young female students were being preyed on and to see this kind of behaviour continuing is surely just inviting trouble?
I don't think my experience of feminists has been a great one. I seem to get targeted by the ones who say I am wrong, they are right and end of. That kinda gets my back up. I don't even know if there is a right or wrong definition of a feminist. It seems to have its own agenda depending on who is flying the flag which I find equally weird because then surely it's just personal opinion.
ReplyDeleteDo you realize that being a feminist just means that you believe men and women should have equal rights and opportunities as men have? Look it up.
ReplyDeleteThat is EXACTLY what being a feminist means. I don't know why that's so difficult for people to understand.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really, really stupid post.
ReplyDeleteCongrats.
Why, because you don't like someone else's POV?
DeleteI was raped because of the way that I dressed.
ReplyDeletehttp://truefeminismnaphtali.blogspot.com/2013/01/feminism-causes-rape.html
Unfortunately for this posting I am also an athiest. However, freedom of speech is a beautiful thing and I have let this one through. Primarily because it is so different to the other comments.
DeleteSlutWalk is important because it shows women and men of all ages that people are trying to address the problem.
ReplyDeleteIt is so engrained in women to walk at night with our keys out, to make sure all of car doors are locked as soon as we get in, to almost run to our doors because we're scared of some enigmatic force that might take us. This is sad. I don't think we should stop doing those things, because the danger is real. But it is sad that we have to do these things, that society so accepts rape that it has become a part of our culture.
Unfortunately, you don't see things this way. I cannot change your mind but I can hope to instill a little more education on the topic for you. Women should be allowed to dress the way they want without it being an excuse for being raped. There is no excuse for rape. It is wrong. I don't give a fuck what you were wearing. If you do not want to have sex with someone, you should not have sex with them even if you are walking around fucking naked.
I totally agree with you. I am not accepting rape. I am that girl that walks around with my keys out and ALWAYS locks the car doors (I did it this evening) but that does not mean I am accepting rape has become a part of our culture. I am accepting that criminals and deviants have and always have been a part of our culture no matter what anyone says.
ReplyDeleteI want to remain rape free in my life and will do whatever I have to, to keep it that way. And if that means not catching the eye of the next weirdo on the street then so be it. Rape is one of the oldest crimes. Addressing it now is not a new thing, but society has changed and that is why it is recognised so much more these days and there are so many reportings.
Me sticking my neck out and having an opinion that differs from Slut Walks does not mean I am accepting rape, it means I am accepting that there are a variety of ways to address the problem.
Alternatively you could just cut the bollocks off every rapist out there. Would it change the rape problem? Nope.
Perhaps a bit of factual evidence might help change the perception of the Slut March. The more awareness there is of this problem the better. Our society teaches 'Don't get raped' and not 'Don't rape'. Clothing does not affect the statistics of who is raped and when. Most rapes are perpetrated by people known to the victims, many are children and many have never worn a short skirt or revealing top in their lives. The word slut now has the connotation to the word for prostitute. Historically it comes from 'Slut Maid', one who had to do the most menial and dirty work. The continued use of the word implies that a woman who dresses a certain way is unclean and therefore forfeit's her rights to dignity and respect. The growing Slut March is about announcing that women are allowed to wear and say whatever they want as a fundamental human right without being victimized. Seeing as this movement began because of a police officer in Toronto declaring that 'if you don't want to be raped, don't dress like a slut' - I find it quite appropriate. Here is an article about the current state of affairs as far as rape is concerned:http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/02/201327114230765738.html. The more women claim their rights and the more perception changes the better.
ReplyDeleteYou SHOULD be able to walk around wherever, at whatever time, wearing whatever the fuck you want and NOT be raped. Rape HAS become a part of our culture - it's called RAPE CULTURE - and by denying it exists you are enabling rapists. You are encouraging a stigma.
ReplyDeleteYou realize as well that only 50% of rapes are actually reported? And this sad fact is partially because of people like YOU who think it's not a societal problem.
Also, saying "in the heat of the moment" is essentially agreeing that rapists cannot help themselves; that something rape survivors do provokes them, and that is BULLSHIT.
I don't remember saying rape didn't exist and I certainly wasn't aware I was denying its existence or saying that it was not a problem. Of course it's a problem. How am I enabling rapists? I am aware that many rapes are not reported. I am also aware that many rapes have nothing to do with girls walking around the street wearing, to quote you, 'whatever the fuck you want'. They happen in marriages, families and relationships.
ReplyDeleteits not about women wanting to walk around dressing provocatively its about something so much bigger than that its about the fact that society is blaming rape on the victim for the way they dress when all the blame should be directed at the rapist. Consent is not negotiable! Some of the women in the walk actually covered the bodies completely with black cloaks and wore signs that said "Am I safe now?"
ReplyDeleteWow. I did not know this. I am going to google it. I really want to see these, it makes so much more of a statement. Thanks!
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