Thousands of women took part in a so-called Slut Walk in London on Saturday, insisting that they should be able to wear as much or as little as they like without facing sexual harassment by men. -- PHOTO: AP
LONDON - THOUSANDS of women took part in a so-called Slut Walk in London on Saturday, insisting that they should be able to wear as much or as little as they like without facing sexual harassment by men.
The colourful march saw most people wearing everyday clothing but some wore provocative outfits as they marched on London's central Trafalgar Square.
Slut Walk was first held in Toronto earlier this year after a police officer caused outrage by stating that 'women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised' during a speech to university students.
The protest soon spread to cities around the world where women joined in huge numbers to challenge the mindset that victims of sexual assault should bear a degree of responsibility on the grounds that they were 'asking for it'.
The London march kicked off behind a banner reading 'Slut Walk London: because we've had enough'. Others carried placards reading 'It's a dress, not a yes'; 'Women against rape'; 'No means no' and 'Hijabs, hoodies, hotpants, our bodies, our choices'. One sign read 'We are all chambermaids' - a reference to the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sex case.
The former International Monetary Fund chief has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of sex crimes, including attempted rape, against a 32-year-old woman cleaning his New York hotel suite. 'It's not the victim's fault if they're raped. Some men think they own the right to women's bodies,' 25-year-old student Sofia Capel told AFP. -- AFP
A woman takes part in a 'Slutwalk' protest in central London, on June 11, 2011, in a global phenomenon sparked by comments from a Canadian police official who said that 'women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.' -- PHOTO: AFP
SlutWalk participants cheer a speaker, after walking from Hyde Park Corner, in Trafalgar Square, central London June 11, 2011. SlutWalk is protest movement which started after a policeman advised women students in Canada to 'avoid dressing like sluts'. Thousands of people - some dressed provocatively - have taken part in various SlutWalks, which aim to highlight the injustice of blaming the victim rather than the rapist or abuser, local media reported. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
People attend a rally in Trafalgar Square during SlutWalk in London June 11, 2011. The SlutWalk event event was organised after the remarks of a Canadian police officer, who advised women 'to avoid dressing as sluts', if they did not want to be harassed, sparked a worldwide protest movement . -- PHOTO: REUTERS
SlutWalk participants cheer a speaker, after walking from Hyde Park Corner, in Trafalgar Square, central London June 11, 2011. SlutWalk is protest movement which started after a policeman advised women students in Canada to 'avoid dressing like sluts'. Thousands of people - some dressed provocatively - have taken part in various SlutWalks, which aim to highlight the injustice of blaming the victim rather than the rapist or abuser, local media reported. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A woman poses for a photograph during a 'Slutwalk' protest in central London, on June 11, 2011, in a global phenomenon sparked by comments from a Canadian police official who said that 'women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.' -- PHOTO: AFP
No comments:
Post a Comment