With rape culture and the double standard about sex becoming more prevalent, students at the College of Charleston decided to protest. The Post and Courier explains "The march is a protest against sexual assault and the double standard that extols promiscuous men for their conquests and shames women for theirs.” On November 30th students walked on campus wearing “provocative” clothing to raise awareness of rape culture and the double standard. The students were escorted by campus security to make sure they were safe and then after, they met in the Cistern Yard to read poetry. "Slut Walks" originated in Toronto about five years ago and have created a trend where women mobilize and attempt to end rape culture and the double standard.
Slut shaming is defined as judging a woman based on her past or current sexual relations or promiscuous-ness. It is seen in high schools, colleges and even at work places. The part that is not seen or talked about is the emotional and mental torment these women feel. Slut shaming directly correlates with the double standard. A man has more freedom to act sexually than a woman. A man can sleep with someone and get high-fived while a girl can be ridiculed and labeled a “slut”. This also correlates with rape culture and the fear that women feel about coming forward and reporting sexual assault. When reporting sexual assault, women are often asked if they were drinking and if they were wearing skimpy clothing. This unfair judgement has become a part of society and we all need to come together and be the ones to change it.
Thought Catalog asked women about some of their experiences with slut shaming and the results were eye opening. Tessa, who is two years old, explains “One of my best friends called me a slut when I told her about my first one-night stand”. Nicole, who is twenty four years old, explains her own experience, stating “Once I was walking home by myself after a late shift. These drunk guys sitting across from my apartment were screaming obscenities at me as I fumbled trying to unlock my front door; calling me a slut and a whore, asking where I was coming from so late at night. I ended up crying in the shower over it.” She ended up crying because society thinks that just because a girl walks home late it constitutes that she was acting promiscuous. In college girls experience this daily. Caroline, who is 19 years old, explains she was “Literally was just leaning against a wall at a frat, waiting for my friend to come out of the bathroom. Some random guy walked by me and coughed ‘slut.’ Have never been back.” She was out with her friends and was simply leaning against a wall minding her business, yet she was still subjected to slut shaming.
Even asking for a girl the number of men she's slept with can be considered crossing the line. Hannah, who is 22 years old, explains, “I’ve experienced this a couple of times now—where a guy will ask me what ‘my number’ is, I’ll tell him, it ends up being higher than his, and so he tosses me aside as a slut because he’s insecure. Now if anyone asks me, I just lie.” Typically, men are not judged for having a high number of former partners, but women are. Women have to protect their image.
Two cases were seen in two separate high schools where girls who were harassed and called sluts ended up committing suicide because of the harassment and abuse they received. Prince, a 15-year-old girl, just started at a new school and was harassed after a few short relationships with two boys, one of which was a popular football player. The current girlfriends of these boys started a campaign aimed to slut shame Prince; she was harassed in the halls and at lunch. She could not escape and the bullying spread to her home. She was sent messages over social media calling her “slut” and “whore”. They went as far as saying she should die. She was ostracized and harassed everywhere and with no escape she committed suicide.
Another girl named Hope committed suicide at age 13 because she was being called a slut and whore in middle school. Slut shaming starts young and with no one stopping it, kids think it is okay to continue. They grow up thinking that it is okay to shame a girl unless told otherwise.
Slut shaming, a common action, appears regardless of age and causes consequences that no one sees. Suicide is becoming a more common consequence of slut shaming along with loneliness, depression and isolation. This is not a feminist fight; it is a societal fight. Times have changed and so should opinions on women and promiscuity.
