slutwalktoronto-blog - Tumblr blog

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

Less than 10% of rape and sexual assault cases are false so victims have no reason to lie about being attacked. There is no room for scrutiny, shame, skepticism, and dismissal when someone is brave enough to come forth with their tragic experience. Survivors need our support, love, care, and respect. Believe them and love them no matter what.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

Everybody is a victim. You can't act like you don't know somebody who has been assaulted. If you know ten people, you know somebody who has been assaulted. It happens everywhere. It happens to anybody. Boys, girls, transgender persons, children, adults, teenagers.  After everything they've been through, do they really need somebody else reinforcing the subconscious thought they might have, of it being their fault? No.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

International Day Against Victim-Blaming on April 3rd commemorates the amazing ongoing international actions against sexual violence and victim-blaming. It's a day for online activism and conversations towards ending victim-blaming in whatever ways you can. Post pictures. Start conversations. Make a statement. Challenge victim-blaming. Speak out against the intersections of discrimination and shaming that survivors face as women who were 'asking for it', people who were drunk, as trans* people and queers, as Indigenous peoples, as sex workers, as prisoners, as migrants, as people of colour, as people living with disabilities, as men, as children, etc. Victim-blaming comes in all shapes and forms and we need to fight back against all of it to support survivors in our communities.

- SlutWalk Toronto

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

On Father's Day...

Father's have influenced and impacted many lives in many ways, sometimes unfortunately using their power to enact sexual violence and blame, doubt and shame victims, and sometimes being incredible spaces of support and love. To all the dads, step-dads, symbolic fathers and forefathers that have supported survivors around them and fought for safer communities, thank you and happy Father's Day. To father's who have been survivors of sexual violence, we see you, and we wish you a happy today, tomorrow and days hereafter of support.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

Clothing is not consent. More images from this series can be found here.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

Thank you to all the mothers, from birth mothers to step mothers, from mothers teaching us about identities to foremothers we've never met, who nurture and care for those around them. To all those children and mothers who have pain around motherhood, we wish you care today.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

Rapper Danny Brown was performing on stage when a female fan got on stage and attempted to force oral sex on him. The discussions that have happened around this sexual assault highlight the victim-blaming and shaming of boys and men who've been sexually assaulted. Gender stereotypes are used to shame and dismiss bodily autonomy, sexual choices, and sexual violence against all survivors but we can work on changing that.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

A massive and heartbreaking blow to the rights of survivors and Muslim women today as a Toronto court judge rules that N.S., a survivor who has been fighting the courts for six years, must remove her niqab in order to testify against the men, her uncle and cousin, who sexually assaulted her. Once again the justice system fails survivors of sexual violence.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

After Steubenville, after Rehtaeh Parsons, after Audrie Pott, and after all of the sexual assaults we do not hear about in the media we need to examine the collective responsibility our communities have in stopping sexual violence and the tragic events that follow. "These rapes aren’t just a problem of a few boys behaving badly, or kids drinking too much, or parents turning a blind eye to teen partying. Boys across North America didn’t get the idea to rape and humiliate their female peers out of thin air; they learned it. Yes, rape is illegal; in theory, we take it seriously. But in reality, rape jokes are still considered funny, women are told that what they wear has some bearing on whether or not they’ll be attacked, and the definition of rape is still not widely understood. That’s why we still hear qualifiers like “date,” “gray,” “forcible” and “legitimate”—because so many don’t understand that all nonconsensual sex is rape."

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

I’m Against Victim Blaming Because:

Because enough is enough and I'm so fucking sick and tired of hearing statements that start with "Well I'm not saying (s)he deserved what happened BUT..." or "I don't mean to justify what that guy did BUT..." or some variation of these. Let's place responsibility where it belongs...ON THE RAPIST!

Submit why you’re against victim-blaming here:www.slutwalktoronto.tumblr.com/submit

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

We're very sad to learn that 17 year old Rahtaeh Parsons killed herself after being gang-raped, photographed, victim-blamed and slut-shamed by classmates. She died this past weekend in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. We need to teach boys and men not to rape, and we need to teach all communities not to condone sexual violence through victim-blaming and slut-shaming. Our thoughts and support go out to Rahtaeh's family and loved ones.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

I'm Against Victim Blaming Because:

"I'm against victim blaming because a dear friend and victim held in her secret for 25 years because she was too afraid to tell anyone what happened to her. After 25 years it was finally too much to bear and she told her family. Days later she took her own life. Our lack of compassion for victims of sexual violence is putting lives at risk."

Submit why you’re against victim-blaming here:www.slutwalktoronto.tumblr.com/submit

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

I'm against victim-blaming because: 

"I'M TIRED of hearing the stories of survivors being blamed for their own assault. I'm sick of hearing people sympathize with rapists and justify and condone their actions. I don't understand how anyone can see this injustice and not want to scream, I don't understand how anyone can see the suffering and pain and not want it to stop. It needs to stop."

Submit why you’re against victim-blaming here:www.slutwalktoronto.tumblr.com/submit

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

" I'm against victim-blaming because I was told that I should be grateful I had been raped because it would teach me to be more responsible.

I was still wearing the clothes that I had been raped in. I didn't tell anyone else for a while. I really could have used the help."

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

I'm against victim-blaming because: 

"It undermines the victim/survivor and makes the ability to heal even harder."

Submit why you're against victim-blaming here: www.slutwalktoronto.tumblr.com/submit

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

We're often asked WHY we keep going and WHY we're doing what we're doing. Because it's clear we still need to. This highlights only some cases of victim-blaming that have occurred within the last year. In ONE year. There are many others. The fact there was a need to create an international day *against* victim-blaming tells you we have a big problem.

[slutwalktoronto-blog]

SlutWalk Toronto brought over 4,000 people together on Toronto streets two years ago today. We yelled, cried, danced, celebrated and supported each other. Some people shared their histories of sexual violence for the first time. Some people heard it wasn't their fault for the first time. Stories were shared, speakers raised awareness and we saw another glimpse of the resistance our communities are made of. We are so thankful to everyone who has shared with us, challenged us, taught us, inspired us and who have supported us.