Third annual SlutWalk scheduled at NSU Jacci Alworden TNE Editorial Board

Courtesy Photo - Students walk to support the American Association of University Women's event, SlutWalk, at NSU. This year, the walk is at 11:15 a.m., April 16. In 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police Department gave a statement that would create a movement. The statement in question said, Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized. From this, a worldwide movement called SlutWalk has evolved. NSU has an active branch of the American Association of University Women that will present the third annual SlutWalk. In 2012, AAUWs Student Organization held the first Slutwalk in Oklahoma on NSUs Tahlequah campus during the month of April, Sexual Assault Awareness month, said Shawna Blake, vice president of AAUW student branch. We felt strongly about the issues that the SlutWalk movement was addressing and felt we could make a difference here by continuing the worldwide movement here in Oklahoma. We have held one every year since, and this will be the third year.

Molly Turner, secretary of advocacy and diversity on the presidents cabinet, said the SlutWalk was created to fight back against rape culture, which is the dominant thought that victims of rape are responsible for their assault. She said rape culture also teaches women how not to get raped instead of teaching men not to rape. Rape culture is the reason why women are taught to go out in groups, to not dress slutty, that there is safety in numbers and not to drink. The culture teaches if women do not abide by these guidelines and are raped, they were asking for it. Changing a culture and its opinion of rape could not be an easy task. The victim-blaming mindset of our society only adds to the horror of the experience for rape survivors and turns the conversation to her clothing or her reason for being by herself at night or whether she had had anything to drink, rather than focusing the blame on the only one who deserves it, the rapist, said Blake. AAUW also acknowledges men can and are victims of rape. However, men are not marginalized and belittled because of their looks or the way they dress, said Turner. They are not taught to be afraid of women. According to Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, one out of 33 men compared to one out of 6 women have been raped at some point in their lifetime. We want to address and discuss issues with both sexes and across the gender spectrum, but there are specific problems that women face from society at large. Blake said it takes everyone working together toward change in order to make progress, and seeing men walk for theses goals is tremendous. She said they can often have these conversations with each other in spaces women and men do not always share when it comes to topics like this, and that can make a huge difference. The event will take place at 11:15 a.m., April 16, at the Be the Change fountain. The walk will end around noon at the Second Century Square. There will be speakers and free food and T-shirts. For more information, click here.