Rape has become a major crime in our country today. Hardly does a day go by without one hideous report of rape or other abuse of women grabbing the headlines. Of major concern is the rising incident of paedophiles preying on minors. These are men old enough to be parents to their victims.

The cases of rape in the country have also ensured that no woman is safe...
It can be safely said that the impunity with which these abuses are committed has made the female gender the endangered species of our society. Rape cases have also increased because many offenders often get away with the crime. The police are unwilling to investigate when rape is reported. The social stigma associated with the crime has also prevented the victims from seeking justice.

More worrisome is the recent trend to blame the victims of rape. There is nothing more ridiculous than this. Sometime last week, I watched a television debate about rape. Watching the programme was an agonising experience. The TV show, which ran in one of Nigerian local channels, focused on the escalating incidence of rape in the country. As an individual, the abuse of women and minors is repulsive enough. But listening to discussants in a TV programme ranting about how women’s “provocative” modes of dressing invite or tempt the rapist is the most bizarre justification of rape I have ever heard in recent times. The discussants on the programme blamed women’s choice of dress as an excuse for rape. The programme’s anchor also did not help matters. How could she have allowed such a sensitive issue degenerate into a blame game on national TV? One would have expected that a TV programme would be balanced so all opposing views could be represented. But I was not surprised. This is because the slant the programme took fed into the blame-the-victim narrative that has dominated rape discourse in recent times.

It is against this backdrop that I have been genuinely shocked by some people claiming that a woman’s dressing provocatively shares the responsibility for her rape with the rapist. The logic seems to be that women who dress seductively intend to provoke rape. That being raped is merely a consequence of that provocation. Therefore, the victims are equally responsible. While our society struggles with the evil of rape, its relation with what women wear has been the subject of unending debate. Voices quoting women’s dresses as invitation to rape appear to me to be squarely unjust and directly targeting their freedom to lead their lives in their chosen ways.

Those who have advanced “provocative dress’’ as a reason for rape have made references to women who wear clinging fabrics, low-waste jeans and low-cut tops, bare midriffs, short skirts and liberally applied make-up as would be target for rapists. Women are often judged on the basis of the way they present themselves, as though the presence of a bra or a subtler shade of lipstick might have made all the difference between an uneventful occasion, and one on which a rape assault took place.

The assumption that dress choice can lead to rape – that clothes can speak for women who say no – are nonsensical and extremely damaging in my own view. In India, one of the countries with the highest incidence of rape in the world, it has often been argued, as do other patriarchal societies such as Nigeria, that women who were raped must have been asking for it by wearing provocative clothing and behaving in an inappropriate manner. In some Islamic cultures, the women who are the victims of sexual assault receive punishment ranging from lashing to stoning and being buried alive, and the men are often absolved of their crimes based simply on their word that the woman whom they raped “tempted” them by behaving inappropriately.

In India, a rape victim is even forced to marry her rapist, thus condemning her to a life of torture, pain and humiliation. This issue is connected to a general culture of oppression of women and is often used as a tool to keep them subjugated. To properly put the issue in the right perspective, some questions about women and dressing need be asked. Does clothing ever play a role in rape? Do women cause rape by what they wear? What is the correlation between clothing and rape? In answering these questions, it is apt to note that rape can never be the victim’s fault. The truth is that someone has to commit rape. No one forces that choice. If seeing an attractive woman leads men to commit rape, all men would be rapists. Yet, there are many men out there who respect women’ choices and freedom over what they wear.

The point also needs be made that not all assaulted women are dressed “provocatively’’ as has been widely believed. Recent reports of rape in other countries have also included women draped in head-to-toe burqas. For example, Saudi Arabia is considered the most conservative society in the world, especially as regards the status of women. There, there are laws that require women to wear a hijab, a head scarf, as well as dress in loose, long garments that do not show the shape of the woman’s body. Yet, in a rape index by country released recently, on a scale one to five, Saudi Arabia had a ranking of four, making the country a high risk for women.

The argument that certain clothes provoke rape will fall flat when one also considers that countries with the highest incidence of rape are those deeply religious societies where women dress conservatively. In a recent survey of the most dangerous countries to be a woman by the Thompson Reuters Foundation, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia were found to be countries where rape is rife. In Nigeria, rapists have targeted minors and in some cases babies. Do minors also dress to kill?

I find it rather preposterous that women are blamed for rape by using their appearance as an excuse. It is a horrible travesty of the principles of justice. The implications are so bizarre that I cannot seriously believe that any rational person supports this line of thinking. It has to be stressed, however, that women are raped because they are vulnerable–not because they “dress provocatively”. In a free country, a woman should have the right to dress however she wants with whatever intention – even if it is to provoke. In other words, even a complete sex worker should never have to “share the responsibility” for her rape. Just like an artist should have the right to paint whatever they want no matter how offensive it seems to other people. Physically violating a woman can never be a justifiable reaction to her dressing – no matter how seductive it is. Rapists violate women for other reasons. Some rape to feel powerful; others gang-rape to demonstrate their “manhood” to one another. Some become aroused by sadistically bringing sex and violence together.

The people who justify rape are so primitive that they do not have the capacity to understand that feeling a sexual urge is not a licence to assault another human being! To these men, a woman is merely an object, so of course when they feel a sexual urge they do not see a person in front of them, just a toy to be used to satisfy their urges. This sort of objectification of women must then be justified by such absurd reason such as her dress. Let us for a minute ignore the lunacy in the idea that women who are raped must have been seductively clothed and are trying to get any man to sleep with them. Let’s suppose this is true, for argument’s sake. How does this make it legitimate to rape these women? The only conclusion I can draw here is that these barbarians really do not even see women as people! Now my fear is that such warped thinking seems to becloud the real reasons why some men rape. This is dangerous and unacceptable.

By Bayo Olupohunda
(Bayoolupohunda@yahoo.com)
sourcewww.olokunbolablessing..com

Yes and no. Many rapists will do it regardless of skimpy dressing or not. Some can be swayed to become slightly uncontrollable when they meet skimpily dressed women.

if nwa father like me get hard-ons just by looking a provocative dressings.... Molesters cant be blamed!. Maybe...its about time ladies need a rethink about their dressing. Not like i like molesters tho, but hell isn't far from both involved!. NO BE ME HOLY PASS SHA.

^^
What in the world?

bla! bla! bla! bla! bla!....so u r 4 women dressing insanely bla! bla! bla! bla! bla!....so u r 4 women dressing insanely....all dese ova educated liberalist..am not 4 molesterz ..buh women should also dress well...guess u schooled in da states...uhn...so make women loose respect and dignity all in da name of fashion...! bros e...u gbagaun joor!

Way to go, i love this write up and the message its trying to pass across .....and by the way Dellaziz or whatever u call urself, do us all the favour and keep quiet, i guess toddlers and pre-teens that were molested should be blamed for not "dressing well". Bla! Bla! Bla! Bla! Are you a goat.

Agrika: Way to go, i love this write up and the message its trying to pass across .....and by the way Dellaziz or whatever u call urself, do us all the favour and keep quiet, i guess toddlers and pre-teens that were molested should be blamed for not "dressing well". Bla! Bla! Bla! Bla! Are you a goat.

+1

people need to put the blame where it should be

It has nothing to do wit the dressing of a woman...many children get raped, that goes on to show u it has nothing to do wit the victim's way of dressing, the rapist simply has a psychological disorder...some rapists do it so they can have a sense of superiority and some just like to see their victim in pain

mondi_cheeks: It has nothing to do wit the dressing of a woman...many children get raped, that goes on to show u it has nothing to do wit the victim's way of dressing, the rapist simply has a psychological disorder...some rapists do it so they can have a sense of superiority and some just like to see their victim in pain

There is a % of rape cases that would be fuelled by the dressing and of course lewd nature of the raped. This however would be less than 5% .

Atheist:-D:


There is a % of rape cases that would be fuelled by the dressing and of course lewd nature of the raped. This however would be less than 5% .

But even if it is higher than that, is it excusable?

Agrika: Way to go, i love this write up and the message its trying to pass across .....and by the way Dellaziz or whatever u call urself, do us all the favour and keep quiet, i guess toddlers and pre-teens that were molested should be blamed for not "dressing well". Bla! Bla! Bla! Bla! Are you a goat.

u must b a blind bat 4 not readn well ..i was talkn bout da WOMEN who dress improperly...SILLY SWINE..not bout teens and babies...HALF BAKED EDUCATION.,na problem..SMH

Mynd_44:
But even if it is higher than that, is it excusable?

It isnt of course, thath is my point. The real question is... how can that 5% be prevented and must women be forced to dress moderately just because of the 5%?

Atheist:-D:


It isnt of course, thath is my point. The real question is... how can that 5% be prevented and must women be forced to dress moderately just because of the 5%?

No

MENH.,wonderin what da world is turning to..same reason y God destroyed sodom and gomorrah...wouldnt be suprised if all dose giving immoral dressing a thumbs up r xtianz...and hey! am not on da molestation issue...

dellaziz: MENH.,wonderin what da world is turning to..same reason y God destroyed sodom and gomorrah...wouldnt be suprised if all dose giving immoral dressing a thumbs up r xtianz...and hey! am not on da molestation issue...

I'm always very disappointed when I see people spouting such opinions. Even if I was wearing a G-string and gave you a lap dance, that gives you no right to inflict yourself on me. It is like saying that because I slapped you and called you a he-goat, you are justified in pulling out a gun and shooting me. If you think someone's dressing is indecent, either correct the person or turn your head away.

Please there is NO justification for such an act, NONE whatsoever.

Sooooo long a letter. There is no excuse for rape jor.

[quote author=CNN80]

I'm always very disappointed when I see people spouting such opinions. Even if I was wearing a G-string and gave you a lap dance, that gives you no right to inflict yourself on me. It is like saying that because I slapped you and called you a he-goat, you are justified in pulling out a gun and shooting me. If you think someone's dressing is indecent, either correct the person or turn your head away.

Please there is NO justification for such an act, NONE whatsoever. ..am not justifing molestation..itz barbaric alrite...so u in support of immorality under d guise of freedom...DAMN ALL DIS EDUCATED ELITES...and gvn a lap dance is an invitation to b used lyk a female dog K...if u disgusted by ma opinion datz ur HEADACHE....

no excuse..

Mynd_44:
No

Precisely. But... are there any situations where moderate dressing should be encouraged? Like for instance around younger children, in jobs and school etc?

we all know that guys are visual beings so when they see something most of them go for it. Even us ladies we know that if you wana catch a guy you must check the way you present yourself so i would suggest that ladies who do not want to be victims they take care of how they dress on the other hand i do not understand why men rape old woman and kids and ladies who are just normal dressers those maybe rapists are shit upstairs

@ Dellawiz...keep walking.

There is never an excuse. Stop shifting the blame. Victims are victims despite circumstance.

monica ur head dey der jawe....lyk dey say what da eyes do not see the heart does not grieve for....buh still molestation is a barbaric act....and immoral dressing addz itz own fuel to it...still i say molestation is a hellish act....

Agrika: @ Dellawiz...keep walking.

M.T.C.H.E.W.WWW! who get ur tyme...

Soooo many uneducated idiots in the house today , may your daughters never get raped.

You are not an animal , you have control over your body , if you cannot control it and you want to harm someone just simply cut off your dick.If you want to justify rape ,then killing/injuring a rapist is just as justifiable because they are behaving on their uncontrollable emotions too.

rapist beware and girls if you want to dress indecent or whatever make sure to carry a knife with you at all times ,so you can cut whoever touches you its only fair.

Monicasque: we all know that guys are visual beings so when they see something most of them go for it. Even us ladies we know that if you wana catch a guy you must check the way you present yourself so i would suggest that ladies who do not want to be victims they take care of how they dress on the other hand i do not understand why men rape old woman and kids and ladies who are just normal dressers those maybe rapists are shit upstairs

they will be victims no matter what way they dress ,nothing is 100%. A women can wear a burka and still get raped.the only effective way they cannot be a victim is if they are with someone at all times.

rapist on average go for girls tht are alone, decent dressing or not.

When you tell someone, " This act is bad but....." you have invariably justified that act. Examples are

Cheating in an exam is bad but if you are going to fail, it's allowed.
Lying is bad but if it will get you out of trouble, do it.
Sexually assaulting anyone is bad but it they turn you on, go for it.

And while I know someone will say that if one's life is in danger, you can do anything, we all know that is an extreme case. Stop trying to justify an immoral act. Saying that men are visual beings in justifying the act. Saying that women dress immodestly is justifying the act. And I find it absolutely shocking when educated and civilized human beings try to justify it or give excuses. Are we thinking, rational humans or are we animals driven by base and depraved desires?

Again I say, NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING justifies that act. NOTHING.

Provocative dressings is not an excuse for molestation.Afterall during the tome if our forefathers, women dress mire scantily than we do now. How ment incidence if rapes did they have then. People respected their families' honour, names, and the society where they lived. Besides, the reward for rapists was instant, they know the consequence is death. by the tym the invoke amadioha, ayilala or sango. Men should stop watching lewd pictures and movies, those things corrupt the mind.

[quote author=honey86]Provocative dressings is not an excuse for molestation.Afterall during the tome if our forefathers, women dress mire scantily than we do now. How ment incidence if rapes did they have then. People respected their families' honour, names, and the society where they lived. Besides, the reward for rapists was instant, they know the consequence is death. by the tym the invoke amadioha, ayilala or sango. Men should stop watching lewd pictures and movies, those things corrupt the mind.[/quo...ladies should also stop acting lewd scenes in music videos and movies ...

[quote author=dellaziz][/quote]

you've probably know or raped a person b4 and let me tell you. you will face the consequences ,you will not escape what you have done. God will catch you.

repent nowww

sexsinners:

you've probably know or raped a person b4 and let me tell you. you will face the consequences ,you will not escape what you have done. God will catch you.

repent nowww

u dey craze ...what da heck u talkn bout uhn...u cant think o...IDIOT.,so dat post resembles dat written by a molester...u gat dead cellz in ya cranium

why is everyone just talking about this on a micro level? Prevention is better then cure as they say and the law needs to be utilized in a manner that makes the consequences of such actions unthinkably abhorrent.

No matter who you are the idea that you will be loose your liberty if not your life would make you think twice before committing such acts.

I do believe that the way people present themselves is of great consequence but it should have no baring on issues of abuse, rape or molestation as the person who commits such acts is a deviant who feels they can get away with it no matter what the victim was or was not wearing. Women dressing in an overly provocative manner speaks more about how women view and value themselves in today's world....as a commodity