Slutwalk Milwaukee 2011

For too long our society has preached, "Don't get raped," instead of "Don't rape." We have focused on the ways in which victims of sexual assault have "deserved" their assault. We have used words like “slut,” to dehumanize, delegitimize and isolate women, shaping a cultural conception that only women like “them” get sexually assaulted, and didn’t they earn it anyway? Slut, and words like it, have too long blamed women for their sexual assault, and ignored that fact that men are sexually victimized as well. Slut has made sexual assault seem like a crime of lust or desire, when really it is a crime of power. In our society 1 out 4 women and 1 out of 6 men are sexually assaulted before 18. Slut has encouraged over 70% to not report, or law enforcement to not follow through on those cases. Slut has encouraged survivors to blame themselves for their assault, instead of blaming the assaulter. Slut has kept sexual assault in the shadows, when it is part of the everyday reality of the people we know. Even if you don’t think you know a survivor, check statistics on sexual assault, and know that you do. Now who is a slut? We will no longer be ruled by slut, we will no longer be victimized by slut. Join us on August 23rd, 2014 at Pere Marquette Park where SlutWalk Milwaukee will rally to support survivors, support our community and end the domination of slut.

Slutwalk Milwaukee 2014 will be August 23rd at Pere Marquette Park.