The Plymouth Slut Walk, like this one in New York in 2011, highlights violence against women Some rights reserved by david_shankbone
There are two types of people in the world. The first looks at a problem, tuts, disapproves and says, “I wish they would do something about it.”The second looks at a problem and realizes that they can do something about it. I’m in the second camp and in Plymouth I’m not alone. There is a frenzy of go-get-em talent, people prepared to step up and be counted, to volunteer and to organize to make our city a better place.
One of those people is Cllr Philippa Davey. If you live in Stoke ward you’ll probably know Cllr Davey as one of the most active local councillors in the entire city. What I admire most about Philippa is that she passionately believes in her ward, her local area and for defending the rights of the people she represents.
And standing up for what is right is just what she’s doing at 2am on December 23 as she walks with many others from Union Street to Mutley Plain on a ‘Slutwalk’ to stand up to those people who say rape victims are somehow asking to be attacked.
Having read the comments on this news page here, she was so enraged by the vile and sickening comments saying that people who are raped are somehow asking for it if they walk home alone at night that she wanted to do something about it. And so this walking protest was born. Starting as a Facebook event, this will grow. It has already with this blog post you’re reading. And so it should.
Let’s make it clear to everyone that in our city you deserve to be able to walk home safely whatever time of day, whether you’re male or female. Wearing a short skirt, having had a beer or two or being alone is not inviting rape, attack or molestation. This sick logic is one of the reasons why so few rape victims come forward. The woeful level of rape convictions is explained by many factors but on this walk we can challenge one of them: that victims were asking to be raped or somehow deserved it because of their dress, their behaviour or their route home. What sickening nonsense.
At 2am on 23 December most people will be tucked up in bed. Philippa and I won’t be and I bet we won’t be alone on this Slutwalk either. You can join the ‘Slutwalk’ on Facebook here.
Tell your friends and let’s make it clear to those internet trolls that the only people responsible for rape are rapists not their victims.
