Marching moms take Slutwalk by storm

Danica Denommesime brought her baby son, Declyne, with her to Slutwalk Vancouver, May 15, 2011. (Kendall Walters/special to ctvbc.ca)

Exactly one week after Mother's Day, moms took Slutwalk Vancouver by storm, with a plentitude of strollers in the midst of the distinctive, colourful signs that defined Sunday afternoon's march.

The walk aimed to raise awareness about attitudes that blame victims of sexual assault for the crime, saying that what they wore or how they acted meant they deserved it.

Slutwalk started in Toronto with the comments of one police officer who told a group of university students in January that they should stop dressing like sluts in order to avoid being raped. It's since become a global phenomenon, with dozens of walks organized across Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

Vancouver event organizer Katie Raso said she had hoped that multiple generations would get involved.

"Just as this isn't one woman's fight, this isn't one generation's fight," she told ctvbc.ca.

Fellow organizer Kat Davidson brought her daughter Aria to the march. Davidson said she wanted to get her involved in the conversation surrounding the issues Slutwalk addresses while she's still a kid.

"By the time we often feel comfortable talking to our children, to our daughters, about the implications of how they dress and how society views them, they've already internalized the message," she said.

"To wait until a safe age means that she's already internalized – and may have been affected – by it."

Aria wore a "Get fed up and start a revolution" t-shirt, helped carry the official walk banner, led chants and marched alongside other organizers with her own sign.

When asked why she wanted to come, Aria replied simply, "I feel it's important."

Danica Denommesime brought her whole family to the march, including husband Dean, daughter Soleilla and baby son Declyne.

She said she wants to surround her children with positive messages about respect.

"We teach them that it doesn't matter what you wear, or what gender you are, or how much power you have, we all deserve equality," Denommesime said.

Elsewhere in the crowd of supporters, Carly Nesbitt pushed a stroller and wore a baby sling. She said she brought her two young sons, Corbin and Eddie, to the event because she wants to start teaching them about movements like Slutwalk now.

"This is an important cause," she said.

"It's not fair for people to have to dress a certain way or do something that other people think they should. It's all just personal expression and people need to stop trying to silence it."

Thousands of people – women, men and children – marched in Slutwalk Vancouver.