Elaysia Murphy, 17, a recent graduate from George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, felt the Toronto police officer’s remarks regarding sexual assault were ridiculous.
“I feel as though the policeman’s comment was totally ridiculous,” Murphy said. “Any women can wear anything and look like someone promiscuous or whatever you want to call it.”
Many women were outraged at the comment which prompted protestors to organize SlutWalks. SlutWalk participants aim to bring awareness to a culture that blames the victim when it comes to rape and sexual assault. Murphy has never heard of the movement, but she feels as though the officer’s comment warrants a response in order to work towards eliminating victim blaming.
Murphy mentions that some women may be more voluptuous than others therefore having a fuller figure, but this does not mean that they have to be ashamed of it and resort to wearing T-shirts or baggy clothing.
“The things that you wear do not make you look like a slut and do not make you a slut,” she added. “Women have been known to care very much about their appearance, so when a woman gets dressed in the morning, whether she has sweat pants on or booty shorts, either way that is to get a certain appearance or certain persona portrayed. It does not [justify sexual assault].”
Kierra Bussey can be reached at kierrajb@temple.edu.
There’s no justification for rape, but there’s also no reason to deny the existence of slutty modes of dress. To do so is to deny the relationship between clothing, body image, and sexuality.
There really are women out there who like sex, with MEN of all people, and those women DO resort to dressing a certain way to become more sexually attractive. That is a tactical decision, there’s nothing wrong with it, and usually it’s called “dressing like a slut.”
I repeat, this is no justification for rape. But the mode of dress exists and it exists because sexuality exists. Maybe there’s a better way to label it, but claiming there’s no such thing silences and excludes the women who are in touch with their sexuality.