Inspired by the original SlutWalk held in Toronto on April 3, 2011 and by the wave of SlutWalk events that has enveloped the world, the women of New Orleans will hold the third annual march on Saturday, April 5, 2014.

SlutWalk was born as a protest from women who have long tired of the “blame the victim” mentality perpetuated by society, law enforcement, and civic authorities. Sexual violence is always a crime, and the victims of assault are never at fault.

In a press release promoting the event, New Orleans SlutWalk organizers say Louisiana is consistently ranked one of the most dangerous states in the nation, and the reported occurrences of sexual assault are no exception. It is vital to establishing meaningful public discourse regarding sexual assault to understand that victims can be men or women, of all ages, races, sexual orientations, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Additionally, the press release says, the act of rape represents a broad range of “types” of sexual assault, and many victims whose sexual assault meets the legal definition of rape do not think of themselves as rape survivors.

It is the hope of the organizers that with this event, the women and men of New Orleans, along with the city government, officials, and the New Orleans Police Department, can begin a serious and effective fight against sexual violence.