Galway University Students have staged Ireland’s first ‘slut walk’ – to prove that a woman’s dress code should not provoke rape.

Several dozen students took part in the march during the college’s equality week and not even southerly gales and driving rain could deter them according to reports.

The protestors, from the Galway college’s Feminist Society and student union, drew an enthusiastic response from shoppers along the route.

A spokesperson told the Irish Times that the marchers aimed to highlight the right to freedom of expression and appearance, regardless of sex.

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Their protest march was supported by Galway Rape Crisis Centre and the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland and followed on from a similar march in Toronto in response to reported remarks by a policeman that ‘women should avoid dressing like sluts’ to remain safe.

The College’s equality officer Will O’Brien told the paper that the march was designed to ‘highlight the fact that women’s dress should not provoke sexual attacks, name calling or other negative responses’.
 
Feminist Society vice-auditor Caroline Forde said the debate locally had centered on the word slut.

“We’ve no problem with people giving their various viewpoints on the use of this word, once the central focus is on our main message,” she said, speaking to the Irish Times, as she welcomed the fact that several male students has participated.