June 19, 2011 in City

SlutWalk marchers fight ‘blame-the-victim’ mindset

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Taylor Malone, front right, organizer and leader of Spokane’s SlutWalk, walks across the Monroe Street Bridge to the county courthouse with other participants on Saturday.
(Full-size photo)

Little did a Toronto police officer know when he told some college women to stop dressing provocatively if they don’t want to be sexual assault victims that his comment would ignite a worldwide movement.

About 200 marchers rallied downtown Saturday in Spokane’s first SlutWalk. Their message: No matter what a person is wearing, no one deserves to be raped, assaulted or harassed.

SlutWalk began in Toronto after a police officer there, speaking at a college campus in January, said women wanting to avoid victimization should not dress like “sluts.” He later apologized for the remark, but the quote quickly sparked a movement around the globe.

Organizers of Spokane’s SlutWalk and other SlutWalks around the world say shifting the blame to the victim rather than the perpetrator is a common mentality.

“We won’t stand for that,” said organizer Kelli Crawford. “Blaming the victim is not what we, as a society, should be doing. We need to focus more on the actual perpetrator.”

Those marching Saturday were encouraged to wear whatever was comfortable, whether skirts, fishnet pantyhose and corsets, or sweatpants, sneakers and T-shirts.

Along the way, the marchers chanted “The way I dress does not mean yes,” and “I won’t be blamed, I’m not ashamed.” Information about self-defense classes and other resources was passed out.

While the officer’s remark was aimed at women, men also were invited to the rally; rape and victim-blaming affect both genders, said organizer Taylor Malone.

“Everyone can be a victim of rape,” she said. “Rape doesn’t happen to any particular gender, race, age or any other demographic. It happens to men, it happens to women, it happens to gays, straights, old and young.”

Mark Kloehn, education specialist for the Sexual Assault and Family Trauma Response Center, said blaming a victim has many consequences. The victims may feel ashamed, internalize their trauma, and be less likely to report sexual assault to authorities, keeping perpetrators from being caught and prosecuted.

“When we go to the hospital, the first, second, third, fourth thing we tell victims is it’s not their fault,” he said. “It’s a constant message we have to repeat to them: It’s not your fault.

“It’s our mantra.”

Kloehn also emphasized that people should always seek help when they are assaulted.

“There are services out there in Spokane for victims of sexual assault,” he said.

Crawford agreed that the consequences of victim blaming are profound.

“I think there is definitely shame,” she said. “I know several people … who have been raped on college campuses and don’t want to report it. You just feel powerless. Even your allies turn against you, so a lot of people keep it to themselves.

“It turns something beautiful – sex – into something horrific.”

Four comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  force_vector on June 19 at 11:33 a.m.

  If you drive around without your seat belt on does it mean you want to go through the windshield? No. Does it mean you are far more likely to in the event someone does something stupid beyond your control? Yep. Same thing in this case.

  If you dress for “attention”, you will certainly get it. However, you are not in control of what kind, nor from whom. So, you do so at your own risk. Does it mean you deserve what may happen as a result? No. However, if you choose to act in a way that increases your odds of becoming a victim, then you shouldn’t be surprised when the odds catch up to. Walk around with hundred dollar bills lining your belt and see how long it takes you to become a victim.

  Bottom line: liberation and freedom require common sense and good judgement if the individual is to benefit from it.

• 

  Jimmy on June 19 at 1:49 p.m.

  I couldn’t agree more. If a woman dresses for attention thats exactly what she’ll get.

• 

  Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on June 19 at 3:08 p.m.

  Someone posted this link on the previous version of this article, and I think it’s worth posting again:

  http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/hvfnf/things_that_cause_rape/c1ypfjv

  (A few salient points: submissive personality and/or body language attracts rapists more than anything else; the most common “outfit” worn by victim is jeans and T- or sweatshirt; most rapists don’t remember what their victim was wearing. There are other appalling things too, like the percentage of male – and female – college students who think it’s acceptable for a man to force sex on a woman if he spent a lot of money on the date, or if she says yes and then changes her mind.)

• 

  PlanB on June 24 at 12:53 a.m.

  These comments are sickening. Rape is never justifiable.