Officer tells students don’t dress like a ‘slut’

A Toronto police officer reportedly told York University students that to avoid sexual assault, women should not dress like “sluts.” The word was uttered in late January during a session on campus security held at Osgoode Hall. Describing the incident, Ronda Bessner, an assistant dean in the law school, told the Excalibur that “One of the safety tips was for women not to dress like ‘sluts.’ He said something like, ‘I’ve been told I shouldn’t say this,’ and then he uttered the words.” Bessner subsequently called Toronto police to complain and to demand an apology from the officer who made the comment. A spokesperson for the police said they are investigating the matter. “[This is] definitely something that we take very seriously. This matter […] has been brought to the attention of our professional standards unit and is something we will be looking into,” the spokesperson said.

UPDATE: The Toronto Sun is reporting that the officer who made the comments will be issuing an apology. “The officer will personally send a letter of apology to the faculty and students at Osgoode Hall,” Toronto police spokesperson Mark Pugash said.