Thousands take part in ‘Slut Walks’ in Brazil

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) – Several thousand scantily clad women staged boisterous “Slut Walks” in several Brazilian cities Saturday, May 26 to protest sexual violence against women.

With horns, drums, chants and placards denouncing sexism, nearly 3,000 took to the streets in Brasilia, the nation’s capital, according to organizers and police.

“This march is to call for an end to physical, sexual and psychological violence against women,” 29-year-old anthropologist Julia Zamboni told the official Agencia Brasil.

In Rio de Janeiro, organizers said nearly 1,000 women and men brandishing placards calling for the decriminalization of abortion and an end to machismo took part in the walk, although police put the figure at 400.

Abortion in Brazil can only be legally performed if the woman’s life is in danger or if the pregnancy is the result of rape.

In Sao Paulo, police said the “Slut Walk” drew at least 700 women, many wearing lingerie, mini-skirts and blouses with revealing necklines. They included representatives of various feminist, lesbian and transgender groups.

Similar marches were also held in Belo Horizonte, Vitoria and other cities.

Slut Walk was first held in Toronto last year after a police officer caused outrage by stating that “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized” during a speech to university students.

The protest soon spread to over 60 cities where women joined in huge numbers to challenge the mindset that victims of sexual assault should be blamed for the crime against them on the grounds that they were “asking for it”. – Agence France-Presse