Kolkata on Thursday joined a global movement of Slutwalk rally to protest against claims that women's attire or behaviour provoke rape and sexual assault.
Slutwalk is a protest movement against sexual violence that began last year in Toronto when police official commented on women's attire saying, "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized."
The global movement began in Toronto, Canada, on April, 3, 2011, and it came to India last year with cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bhopal, and now Kolkata holding such protest.
On Thursday, Kolkata held its first Slutwalk protest to show support for women's right.
More than 300 non-political activists, students and NGO workers walked from Jadavpur University till the Triangular Park wearing risqué outfits, chanting slogans and bearing signs reading "Whatever we do, wherever we go... 'No' means 'No'!" "Don't be a drag, just be a queen," "put rapist on trial not victims" and "do not label."
The protest was organized by a group of students and teachers of Jadavpur University. They also organized a street play at the end of the protest.
"SLUT is expressing oneself verbally, physically, sexually. We intend to use our bodies as canvasses and distribute pamphlets on the way to the citizens, and express ourselves through slogans. Since it is gender inclusive, there will be members from the transgender community as well," Indo-Asian News Service quoted Shreya Sen from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai as saying.
