response: “are slutwalkers losing their way?”

A friend of mine recently forwarded me an op-ed, “Are SlutWalkers losing their way?” written by Victoria Coren, a columnist for The Observer (who usually writes about poker). In it, Coren expresses skepticism about the recent “SlutWalk” movement, which started in Toronto but has since spread across the world. Women have been taking to the streets, often dressed revealingly, in protest of a Canadian policeman’s advice to a group of students in a self-defense class. He suggested they avoid “dressing like sluts” to improve their personal safety.

Implying that a woman could in some way be faulted for having been violently attacked by a man is problematic, perpetuating the myth that victims of rape should be blamed for their rapists’ crimes if they have too much to drink, are scantily clad or are deemed otherwise irresponsible.

This mindset isn’t rare–rape victims are very commonly blamed for their attacks or are questioned as if they’re on trial themselves, and this treatment is likely the reason most rapes go unreported.

But Coren ignores all of this crucial context necessary to understanding the plight of rape victims in a victim-blaming culture. Instead, she asserts “It’s not rapists who think skimpy outfits are a contributory factor. It’s just lazy-minded cultural observers, tutters behind net curtains, knitters at the guillotine. They’re annoying, but they’re not dangerous.” But Coren misses the mark–not only does she underplay the number of people who believe rape myths, she misunderstands their consequences.

I’ve encountered many challenging rape myths through my work as an interpersonal violence prevention activist on my campus. As a peer educator, I often talk with students who perpetuate rape myths. They should not simply be considered “lazy-minded cultural observers.” They’re unknowingly part of a broader culture that supports their views; victim-blaming is prevalent in the media, in the justice system and in traditional attitudes toward gender roles. The saturation of our culture with rape myths isn’t simply “annoying.” It shapes our mindsets–and hurts survivors.

Coren suggests that rather than question the overall culture and call for radical change, feminists should remain content working inside a liberal framework, getting more rapists convicted, even if only for short jail terms. She prescribes “real, practical, legal change to help other women and identify serious villains. SlutWalks are firing at the wrong target, baring arms against an irrelevant enemy.” Coren doesn’t see that the “irrelevant enemy” is our patriarchal society itself, and that calling attention to the root of the problem is essential for progress.

I’m not satisfied with purely legal changes if they don’t come with a parallel culture shift. Until the words “she was asking for it” are completely dissolved from our dialogue surrounding sexual assault, I’ll continue to challenge rape myths and encourage survivors to empower themselves in a society deliberately structured to prevent them from doing so. Coren can stick to Texas Hold’em.

Check out the SlutWalk being planned for Greensboro, NC on August 27 here.