New Delhi: Having made their point in Toronto, Melbourne and Montreal, the "sluts" now plan to walk in New Delhi as part of a global campaign against sexual violence.
The now famous 'SlutWalk' started in response to a Toronto police officer who said "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised."
It originated with an intention to protest against the belief that female rape victims are "asking for it". After making a point in Toronto, it further went on to become a success in many big cities across the globe. Cities like, Melbourne, Brisbane, Saskatoon and Montreal got a response. There are several cities which are now joining this global mission, and New Delhi will see its first ever SlutWalk on June 25.
Crime against women in Delhi has always been a blot on the capital's image. Several cases of rapes, molestation, eve teasing has come in light in the past.
Although, there are several reactions to this particular protest, Shilpi Roy, a law student in Delhi University says, "Looking at the male mentality in India, the SlutWalk is going to be nothing more than a 'tamasha' for them. If you want to make a change, it has to start at a much younger age which will stay with them forever. The SlutWalk will fade from public memory very soon."
But there is still a large section which believes that such protests can if nothing, highlight the fact that dressing up or being in a particular way can be termed as "inviting" or "provocative". Shreya a college student in Delhi says, "It's high time something like this did take place since it is always that the girl is blamed and the guy goes free. It’s the girl who has to 'save' her family from such embarrassment. What about the guy? Shouldn't he be blamed for putting his family through such shame? A girl should be able to wear whatever she's comfortable in, without worrying about being teased. It's the guys who need to control their impulses."
The social networking sites have greatly been involved in galvanizing the movement. From Facebook fan pages to Twitter discussions have sparked a worldwide attention. Several debates and heated arguments have been taking place on the very definition of the word "slut". Can it be defined only by the way a few women dress up? Or by the way they talk? Or their choice of lifestyle?
A Facebook description of the event is, "SlutWalk Delhi 2011 is an attempt to reclaim the word Slut, to remove the shame, to replace it with pride! As some definitions go, one suggests that slut is a woman with the morals of a man."
The Oxford Dictionary defines the word, "a woman who has more than one sexual partner."
Can there be pride taken in the usage of the word? The movement is clearly against perpetrators of sexual crimes, against the mentality that looks down upon women.
And most women are taking part in this protest to put the point across that no woman, whatever she wears, however she thinks, can ever ask for rape.
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