Singapore: Supporters of the global SlutWalk
movement against sexual violence held a rally on Sunday in
Singapore, attracting dozens to a rare protest in the strictly
policed city-state.
The event was restricted to a free-speech park called
Speakers' Corner in line with strict laws on street
demonstrations, but supporters came undeterred by rain to hear
speeches and songs and watch a "muay thai" martial arts show.
"I need to stand up and support what I believe in,"
Singaporean writer Vanessa Liew, 25, said at the rally.
None of the mostly female crowd sported the revealing
clothing worn at other SlutWalks around the world, though some
did wear skirts above the knee.
Others wore T-shirts protesting against blaming rape
victims on the grounds of their outfits or because they had
been drunk or flirting.
Police had approved a permit for the Singapore rally,
which they said was necessary because of the global nature of
the movement and the expected presence of foreigners, although
organisers said no permit should be needed.
SlutWalks have been held in dozens of cities around the
world, including Toronto, Auckland and Wellington in New
Zealand, New Delhi, Philadelphia, Seoul, Sydney, Washington,
Paris and Berlin.
The SlutWalk phenomenon began in Toronto in April when
hundreds of women and men took to the Canadian city's streets
for a march to protest a police constable's comment that
"women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be
victimised".
Protests are rare in Singapore and one of the organisers
told a news agency reporter those present should be called
"attendees" rather than "protesters".
PTI
First Published: Sunday, December 04, 2011, 19:10