'SlutWalk' event held in St. John's for first time
About 300 people marched through downtown St. John's Sunday, to get people talking about how to end sexual violence and victim-blaming.
It was the first time that a "SlutWalk" event was held in Newfoundland and Labrador, and organizers chose the slogan "We're asking for it."
Similar walks have been held around the world since the first one in Toronto in 2011.
The event has been criticized for using the word "slut," but organizer Lynn Moore says she hopes the walks will help change its meaning.
"If you Google the word slut, SlutWalk comes up, so language is dynamic, it evolves," she said.
"So I hope the meaning of that word is going to evolve into the word for someone who makes sexual choices and doesn't get blamed for those sexual choices."
Organizers Bridgett Clarke and Angelina Butt said they hope that that the march will get the message out that people shouldn't make false connections between how women dress and their chances of being sexually assaulted.
"People should choose to dress however they want, however they feel comfortable," said Butt.
"Statistically speaking, the way that you dress has zero impact on your likelihood of being assaulted," said Clarke.
"With that being said, there shouldn't be this connection between how you dress or how you portray yourself and your likelihood of being victimized."
Cool temperatures and the threat of rain may have dampened some people's enthusiasm for the march on Sunday, but Moore say they plan to keep holding SlutWalks until they are no longer necessary.
"What we are asking for is an end to sexual violence and end to victim blaming and an end to shaming people for their sexual choices," she said.
