"Slutwalk" protest staged in New Delhi

Jul 31, 2011, 12:20 GMT

New Delhi - Hundreds of people joined a rally in New Delhi Sunday inspired by the 'Slutwalk' movement to protest sexual violence against women.

'Slutwalks' have been held in several cities across the world after a police officer in Toronto caused outrage by saying that women should avoid 'dressing like sluts' to avoid being victimized.

Organizers said the protest was held against traditional attitudes that a woman's appearance could excuse or explain sexual harassment or taunting - commonly known as 'Eve teasing' in India.

The rally held amid tight security near Jantar Mantar in the heart of city, had little of the skimpy dressing that has marked Slutwalks elsewhere.

'The problem is with the mindset of the society, they have double standards towards the fair sex,' a housewife, Nishta Singh, who was at the protest, said.

'How many times are men told to dress in a particular way? Only girls are blamed for dressing skimpily,' she said.

Indian society's attitudes towards women have remained largely patriarchal despite rapid growth and modernization of its urban centres.

Within India, Delhi is considered the most unsafe city, with sexual harassment, rape and abductions being frequently reported.

Most marchers were dressed in jeans and T-shirts or traditional Indian dresses.

'We did not want to unnecessarily dress up in something we are not comfortable in. In any case, no matter what a girl wears, be it the traditional salwar-kameez or jeans, she is teased or assaulted,' Archie Sharma, a university student told the IANS news agency.

The organizers termed the rally a success and said similar protests would be held in the western city of Mumbai soon.