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Slut-shaming is a form of bullying and sexual harassment of (mostly) women and girls. It's not new--an early example of slut-shaming is in The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne which was published in 1850.
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| Slut-Shaming is a Form of Bullying and Sexual Harassment |
The story takes place between the years 1642-1649 in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony. The main character, a young woman named Hester Prynne, has a child from a man she isn't married to and whom she refuses to identify to the local ministers who are demanding to know the father's identity.
As a result, the punishment for her "sin" is that she must stand on a scaffold in town for three hours to be shamed and ridiculed by the townspeople. In addition, she must wear the scarlet letter "A," which stands for adultery, for the rest of her life.
What is Modern Day Slut-Shaming?
Let's start by defining modern day slut-shaming (see my article: The Madonna-Whore Complex is Still Alive and Well Today).
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| Stop Slut-Shaming |
Modern day slut-shaming is a term used for the act of judging, stigmatizing and bullying girls and women based on their appearance, sexual attitudes and their actual or perceived sexual habits.
Although contemporary society no longer requires girls and women to stand in the town square to be shamed, current day bullies have other ways to degrade and humiliate them, including verbal harassment and cyberbullying with posts on social media.
Anyone can be slut-shamed, but teenage girls and women of all ages are usually the targets for violating sexual norms from the perspective of the harassers.
This form of bullying and sexual harassment can occur with or without the intended target's knowledge either in person or, as mentioned before, on social media. Unfortunately, social media provides a platform for slut-shaming which can reach millions of people.
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| Girls and Women Are Not Asking For It |
There is often an attitude among people who engage in this form of sexual harassment that girls and women are "asking for it" by wearing certain clothes or engaging in certain sexual behavior. This attitude is a form of misogyny.
According to the American Association of University Women, slut-shaming is the most common form of sexual harassment in middle school.
Schools can also, unwittingly, create the atmosphere for slut-shaming by requiring certain dress codes for girls that prohibit them from wearing clothes that reveal "too much skin," but the same schools often don't have the same dress code for boys.
Girls in these schools are often penalized for "distracting boys" with revealing clothes. This is a form of scapegoating and victim-blaming. It sends a dangerous message to everyone that girls are responsible for boys' "uncontrolled" behavior. It also blames girls who are sexually harassed and assaulted by indicating that it was their own fault.
Examples of Modern Day Slut-Shaming
The following examples represent only a few of the many ways that girls and women are slut-shamed:
- A woman who is wearing a sexy outfit is criticized (by men and women) as being a "bimbo," "hoe" and other derogatory names to her face as well as behind her back.
- A woman who enjoys sex is degraded verbally to her face as well as being gossiped behind her back.
- A woman who has an extensive sexual history is verbally attacked by her boyfriend (or spouse) in an unrelated argument.
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| Stop Slut-Shaming |
- A woman discovers that a former boyfriend placed a sex video of them on social media without her consent (see my article: What is Revenge Porn?).
- A high school girl, who is about to text her boyfriend with a sexy picture of herself, is shamed by her friend.
- A middle school girl comes to class one day and discovers her classmates are gossiping about her because a boy she dated revealed she allowed him to touch her breasts. At the same time, this boy is praised by his male friends for the same acts for which the girl is denigrated.
- A high school girl discovers that her classmates are criticizing her sex life on social media.
The SlutWalk and #MeToo Movement: Reclaiming the Word "Slut"
Even celebrities aren't immune from slut-shaming. Some of the most visible cases of slut-shaming on social media have included celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande and Amber Rose.
After she was slut-shamed by her former husband, Amber Rose created the SlutWalk in 2015 where she gave a speech to talk about her personal experience. In addition, she has spoken out publicly about the purpose of the Slutwalk as giving women a voice for gender equality and to address sexual injustice, victim blaming and derogatory labeling.
The Slutwalk is one way that women have reclaimed the word "slut." With regard to the origin of the word, it seems to have been used originally by English poet Geoffrey Chaucer who used the word "sluttish" in the 14th century to describe untidy men. Eventually, "slut" was attributed to kitchen maids and "dirty women" and was followed by the more contemporary sexual connotation that has been used to scapegoat women in general.
The reclaiming of the word "slut" is intended to deal with external misogyny as well as the internalized misogyny experienced by women.
The Slutwalk also provides a way for women to tell their own stories and provides words of empowerment for other women who have endured this form of sexual harassment. It has become an international movement which calls for the end of rape culture, victim blaming and slut-shaming.
The #MeToo movement has also served to empower women and raise people's awareness about sexual harassment and sexual violence.
The Psychological Effects of Slut-Shaming
The psychological effects of slut-shaming can be traumatic and long lasting.
Slut-shaming has been linked to
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Problems with body image
- Low self esteem
- sexual anxiety
- Sexual guilt
- Suicidal ideation
- Suicide
Seeking Help in Trauma Therapy
If you have experienced slut-shaming, you could benefit from seeking help from a licensed mental health professional who specializes in helping clients overcome psychological trauma.
A skilled trauma therapist can help you to overcome trauma, rebuild your confidence and improve your overall well-being.
About Me
I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT, Somatic Experiencing and Sex Therapist.
I am a trauma therapist who works with individual adults and couples.
To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.
To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.
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