Demonstrators march in J'lem's 2nd annual 'SlutWalk'

Men and women alike demonstrate to eradicate legitimacy of violence against women, victim blaming due to dress.

Jerusalem SlutWalk 2013 370 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Jerusalem SlutWalk 2013 370
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Dozens protesting violence against women took to the streets Friday in Jerusalem’s second annual Mitzad Sharmuta (SlutWalk).

During the march, demonstrators chanted slogans such as “rape is not legitimate if I wear a mini [skirt],” and “my body is mine alone,” and “no, means no. Which part of no! no! no! did you not understand?” SlutWalk has become a worldwide movement, working to challenge mind-sets and stereotypes of victim-blaming and slut-shaming.According to a statement on the event’s Facebook page, the goal of the march is to eradicate the blame placed on victims of sexual harassment, no matter how one dresses.“The essence is not to dress provocatively, but to dress in any way you want,” the post continued addressing both men and women to arrive wearing any desired variety of vestige.Police originally denied a license for the march and it was approved at the last minute after intervention by Meretz MK Michal Roisin.The demonstration was inspired by a group of Canadian women who held the first SlutWalk protest in Toronto two years ago in response to a male police officer’s comment that if women want to avoid being attacked they should not dress like sluts.In April, hundreds arrived to the Tel Aviv rendition of the march.