‘SlutWalk’ goes global after policeman’s rape insult

05-12-2011 • France24.com

When a Toronto police officer made the off-the-cuff remark that women shouldn’t ‘dress like sluts’ to avoid being sexually victimized, he probably didn’t expect the worldwide wave of indignation his comment would unleash. From Canada to Australia, an international series of marches known as “SlutWalks” are being organised by women protesting for the right to wear what they like and behave how they choose without facing sexual harassment. Constable Michael Sanguinetti was addressing students from York University at a safety forum last January when the remark slipped out. Although he later apologised and was disciplined by the Toronto police department, some women felt that his words revealed the inadequate treatment of sexual assault victims by many law enforcement agents. To make their voices heard, Toronto residents Heather Jarvis and Sonya JF Barnet decided to organise a march in front of the city police department in April. Little did they know that this would be the first of ma