Friday, February 18, 2011

sickening

Comment made by a police officer, giving a safety talk on sexual harassment and sexual assault at a university:

“You know, I think we’re beating around the bush here. I’ve been told I’m not supposed to say this, however, women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

More on that story here.

Wow.

Just wow.

And there is apparently quite a bit of controversy over this - some people saying the officer shouldn't have had to apologize, that he was just giving practical advice, and that some women need to hear the truth, that the way they dress can invite unwanted attention.

But that is just so damned narrow of a view to take. It leaves so many victims unaccounted for - conservatively dressed women can still be raped. So can children. And it implies that the victims of sexual assault are to blame for what happened to them, that they somehow provoked it. It's disgusting.

And I sure wasn't dressed like a slut when I was eight.

Just had to get that off my chest.

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