Understanding Slut-Shaming and Victim Blaming

Slut-shaming refers to criticizing or stigmatizing someone, most often a woman, for perceived sexual behaviour or appearance. Victim blaming is the related practice of attributing responsibility for a crime to the person harmed. The two ideas frequently overlap in public discussion of sexual violence.

Comments by public figures or their relatives on social media have repeatedly sparked rapid backlash, followed by deletions and apologies. These episodes illustrate how quickly online remarks become news.

Definitions and background

Researchers in sociology and gender studies describe a long-standing sexual double standard, in which the same behaviour is judged differently depending on gender. Slut-shaming is often cited as one expression of that double standard.

Victim blaming has been studied in psychology as connected to a belief that the world is fair, which can lead people to look for reasons a victim could have avoided harm. Legal scholars note that responsibility for assault rests with the perpetrator under Canadian law.

Clothing and assault

Comments linking clothing to the risk of assault are among the most common forms of victim blaming. Studies of sexual violence by researchers and public health agencies have not found clothing to be a determining factor, and offenders are generally described as acting on opportunity and intent. Canadian courts have also moved away from using clothing or past sexual history to infer consent, and the Criminal Code restricts the use of a complainant's prior sexual history as evidence.

Canadian public response

A 2011 comment by a Toronto police officer about dress and victimization prompted the first SlutWalk in Toronto, a demonstration against victim blaming that later spread to many countries. Participants stated that responsibility for assault lies with offenders and not with clothing choices.

Advocates, journalists and survivors have since used open letters, hashtags and public campaigns to respond to similar comments. Critics of these campaigns have raised questions about reclaiming the word slut, and some have argued that public shaming of speakers carries its own concerns. The discussion continues in schools, workplaces and online spaces across the country.