Miniskirt Rally in Kenya

Protesters have gathered in the Kenyan capital to rally in support of a woman who was attacked and stripped by a mob in an incident that was captured on video and went viral online.

The woman was assaulted by a group of men at a bus stop, after she was accused of “tempting” men because of her clothing. In the wake of the incident, traditional groups urged local women to dress “decently”.

But on Monday, some protesters at Uhuru park in Nairobi’s city centre held banners that read “My dress, My choice”, while others wore miniskirts in support of the attacked woman.

“Violence affects women, men, boys and girls, and if left to continue gaining currency, will deny us healthy relationships,” organiser Ruth Knaust told Capital FM radio.

The crowd marched towards the Embassava bus station where the woman, who has not been identified, was attacked.

“Women are being assaulted,” protester Diana Okello said. “We especially want to know what the women we chose as leaders are doing.”

Kenya’s deputy president has ordered that the attackers be arrested and an investigation launched.

The police, however, said they cannot take the case further because the woman did not file a complaint.

Despite the outcry two more cases of women being sexually violated have been reported in Nairobi and the coastal city of Mombasa since the clip went viral, Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Kenya, said.

An online campaign on Twitter named #MyDressMyChoice has been popular since the incident.