Does women way of dressing affect the possibility of sexual assault?

[Tantum_ergo]

Rr, I respectfully disagree with you. If you study the cases of rape, you will find that the vast majority of them are assaults upon women who were NOT ‘inappropriately dressed’, in that the vast majority are assaults either upon children or the elderly, or due to acts of war, or upon poor women, or in areas of unrest whether due to war, economic distress, ecologic distress, etc.

Again I say, despite the prevalence of ‘movie of the week’ or other media blown presentations (I seem to remember one in the 80s with Jodie Foster, for example) which picture rape as happening to women dressed, as you put it, like “women of the night”, the facts belie this.

Rape is a crime of POWER. It is not a crime of LUST. It is not perpetrated as an act of overwhelming sexual NEED.

While certain rapists may tend to the sort of canting, “punish the evil girls” who may–repeat MAY–search for women dressed ‘provacatively’ that is an aberration.

The average rapist is a male with a need to control, and to use. . .IOW, who wants power. This explains the rape of the elderly, babies and children, helpless people in nursing homes, working women and women attacked in war situations.

The situations of ‘date rape’ or the situations the media shows show just how close the ‘boy next door’ , the ‘average guy’, can be to being a rapist. . .and because frankly that thought terrifies men and woman, it is much EASIER to blame the WOMAN. How much more palatable for a man to feel that if a woman is attacked, it is partly at least HER fault. It then becomes incumbent on WOMEN to change everything, lest they ‘tempt’ the poor male.

But let me tell you, if every woman in the world suddenly wore a burkha, was home either in a husband’s, father’s, or some male ‘protector’s’ place 24/7, there would STILL be rapes, and plenty of them. Because rape isn’t about being DRIVEN TO IT by the sight of a “provacative, tempting female”. . .it is about power, it is about force, it is about the man’s need to take, to dominate, and to control. He doesn’t REALLY care if she is dressed like a male fantasy (sheesh, check out the department stores, EVERY woman is apparently supposed to look like a B-movie ‘vamp’ today); ask the 80 year old grandmother or the 2 month old child or the nun in her convent or the emaciated, filthy refugee in a camp. . .how provocative do you think THEY were?

 

[VociMike]

It seems that many here are answering the question “does dress justify the possibility of sexual assault” rather than the posted question “does dress affect the possibility of sexual assault”.

 

[carol_marie]

It seems that many here are answering the question “does dress justify the possibility of sexual assault” rather than the posted question “does dress affect the possibility of sexual assault”.

No - I do not believe it affects the possiblity.

Which is why an elderly grandma in a housedress gets raped.

Or a baby girl in a diaper.

Or a young boy dressed like an altar boy.

Clothing has nothing to do with it. I think a rapist is turned on by power & opportunity not a slinky outfit.

Regarding the post where the men in prison claimed the women asked for it… that’s what they tell themselves to shift the guilt.

 

[rr1213]

Just because the elderly and children are raped doesn’t prove that provocative clothing has no effect. No offense intended, but if you parade an ugly old lady, unprotected, before a bunch of convicts and parade an attractive young lady dressed as a prostitute, I think that the latter is more likely to be molested.

 

[carol_marie]

Just because the elderly and children are raped doesn’t prove that provocative clothing has no effect. No offense intended, but if you parade an ugly old lady, unprotected, before a bunch of convicts and parade an attractive young lady dressed as a prostitute, I think that the latter is more likely to be molested.

Maybe the men would think that the Prostitute looking woman would be “easy” so that would be a turn on for them. But assuming that she said “NO” - I think if a guy went on to rape her, he would’ve raped her regardless of what she was wearing if given the opportunity.

 

[TarAshly]

Thank you for your responses.

Please look at the headline of the question carefully.

I am NOT saying rape is ok

I am NOT saying that women are asking for it.

I am NOT saying that they deserve to be raped

I am NOT saying that rapists shouldnt be punished ( In Islam its death penalty for rape)

I am simply asking if modest dress would decrease the chances of sexual assualt ?

Please answer accordingly

thanks

Ok…I think everyone did answer accordingly, and to answer accordingly myself…plain and simple the answer is “NO!” Rape is about power, not sex, sexual assault is about power, not sex, so physical attraction has nothing to do with it.

 

[TarAshly]

I used to work for the Correctional Service…

Based on the evidence I have heard said many times by offenders,
the way women dress provokes men into thinking that women are up for it’.

I quote:

1 ‘She dresses like that because she is asking for it’

2 ‘She is wanting to get laid’

1. ‘She is on heat’.
2. ‘She is begging for sex’.
3. ‘She needs a man and is dressed to find one’.
4. ‘She is asking for it’.
5. ‘She definitely wanted sex because of how she was dressed’
6. ‘I had no doubt in my mind she wanted me to… because she was dressed to pull’.

Please note these are not my views. I am merely quoting the things that have been said to me by offenders, who have mis-read the way a woman is dressed.

I do not share any of the above views. I am very sorry if they offend.

I have even heard complaints that the way a woman dresses, causes suffer of physical pain, Women please take note that it is not fair to cause another human being to suffer needlessly.

In lots of cases, men on seeing an attractive woman dressed provocatively, do mental rape. That we Catholic men know is a mortal sin and as bad as the real thing. But, some men do not have control of their dodily urges.

Pax Christi

I think that is a total and flat out cop out. they are just making up excuses instead of accepting responsibility for being animals. I personally enjoy dressing fashionably and stylish, I try to keep myself covered up but sadly for some women you are going to show cleavage even in a turtle neck. But I am also not going to dress in a sheet or a sack and hide the beautiful curves God gave me, that distinguishes me from man, especially when i’m with my husband! a man is responsible for his own behaviors. I certainly wouldnt purposely dress to provoke a man, that is an obvious sin, but im not going to dress like a frump either. There are some men who know how to behave and some that dont. I personally enjoy the compliments and flattery I get from men (obviously before they spot my wedding ring ) who think I look like an attractive lady, so to come over and start a conversation or introduce yourself is fine and flattering, but then you get the animals that whoop and holler and like to cat whistle and all that, thats on them, my dress hasnt changed, only the man and his behavior.

 

[meedo]

It seems that many here are answering the question “does dress justify the possibility of sexual assault” rather than the posted question “does dress affect the possibility of sexual assault”.

You got exactly the meaning that i want !

 

[jmcrae]

I voted “no,” because the vast majority of rape victims were dressed in parkas or in drab working-day clothes; they certainly didn’t look “sexy.”

Rape is a crime that is committed with the sex organs but that is really the only thing that it actually has in common with sex.

A man who is sexually attracted to a woman will not normally rape her, because sex with someone who is not willing isn’t actually all that much fun, or very “sexy” at all.

He may try to seduce her, but a seduction is certainly not a rape.

 

[mrs_abbott]

I voted “maybe” because dressing sexy definitely draws attention to that person and therefore might cause a sexual assault. But, as jmcrae said, there are alot of cases of assault coming from modestly-dressed people.

 

[VociMike]

I voted “maybe” because dressing sexy definitely draws attention to that person and therefore might cause a sexual assault. But, as jmcrae said, there are alot of cases of assault coming from modestly-dressed people.

If one does a thought experiment with 1000 women dressed only in their underwear walking into 1000 bars, or down 1000 streets at night, and another 1000 women dressed “unprovocatively” walking into 1000 other bars or down 1000 other streets, I find it hard to imagine that the incidences of sexual assaults among the two groups will be the same. Which of course does not justify anybody being assaulted.

This is like the question of leaving valuables in plain view on the front seat of your car. That does not justify somebody breaking into the car but it does affect the possibility of the car being broken into.

 

[jmcrae]

Just because the elderly and children are raped doesn’t prove that provocative clothing has no effect. No offense intended, but if you parade an ugly old lady, unprotected, before a bunch of convicts and parade an attractive young lady dressed as a prostitute, I think that the latter is more likely to be molested.

Actually, it would depend a lot more on which was less likely to fight back, and which seems less likely to be believed by the police.

 

[rr1213]

If one does a thought experiment with 1000 women dressed only in their underwear walking into 1000 bars, or down 1000 streets at night, and another 1000 women dressed “unprovocatively” walking into 1000 other bars or down 1000 other streets, I find it hard to imagine that the incidences of sexual assaults among the two groups will be the same. Which of course does not justify anybody being assaulted.

This is like the question of leaving valuables in plain view on the front seat of your car. That does not justify somebody breaking into the car but it does affect the possibility of the car being broken into.

Agreed. It’s no more than common sense. Unfortunately, this is one of those topics where it is socially unacceptable to say that the woman’s dress has any effect at all because, in the words of the PC Police, that would be “blaming the victim”. So common sense goes out of the window in favor of feminist political correctness. Believe me, when I tell my daughters to change ther clothes it also has to do with preventing unwanted attention as well as being modest.

 

[jmcrae]

If one does a thought experiment with 1000 women dressed only in their underwear walking into 1000 bars, or down 1000 streets at night, and another 1000 women dressed “unprovocatively” walking into 1000 other bars or down 1000 other streets, I find it hard to imagine that the incidences of sexual assaults among the two groups will be the same. Which of course does not justify anybody being assaulted.

The ones in their underwear would be more likely to be solicited for sex, but being solicited for sex is not the same thing as being “sexually assaulted.”

Also, a man thinking 'I would like to have sex with her" is not thinking like a rapist.

A rapist doesn’t think about sex at all - he is thinking about power and about inflicting pain. A rapist isn’t looking for someone who looks sexy, but rather, for someone he can inflict pain on without getting caught.

 

[carol_marie]

The ones in their underwear would be more likely to be solicited for sex, but being solicited for sex is not the same thing as being “sexually assaulted.”

Also, a man thinking 'I would like to have sex with her" is not thinking like a rapist.

A rapist doesn’t think about sex at all - he is thinking about power and about inflicting pain. A rapist isn’t looking for someone who looks sexy, but rather, for someone he can inflict pain on without getting caught.

Yep. I agree.

 

[jmcrae]

Believe me, when I tell my daughters to change ther clothes it also has to do with preventing unwanted attention as well as being modest.

Yes, and you are right to do that, but “unwanted attention” is not rape and is not like rape in any way.

Your daughters are liable to be seduced if they dress in a sexy way, and yes, that too is a bad thing, of course - but they are equally likely to be raped no matter what they wear, because rape is about power.

Seduction is about sex. Seduction is not rape, though.

 

[VociMike]

The ones in their underwear would be more likely to be solicited for sex, but being solicited for sex is not the same thing as being “sexually assaulted.”

Also, a man thinking 'I would like to have sex with her" is not thinking like a rapist.

A rapist doesn’t think about sex at all - he is thinking about power and about inflicting pain. A rapist isn’t looking for someone who looks sexy, but rather, for someone he can inflict pain on without getting caught.

If you’re saying that the incidences of sexual assault would be identical, then I just don’t know male human nature, including the fringe element, as well as I assume I do. What about date-rape and date-rape drugs? Is that only about power and inflicting pain? I don’t think so.

BTW, does the distribution of women who are sexually assaulted exactly match their distribution in the population, as far as both age and attractiveness? I doubt it. If not, that would suggest that there are factors involved in beyond “looking for someone he can inflict pain on without getting caught”.

 

[VociMike]

Without spending too much more time on this question, I found this quote from a report by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control study of sexual assault:

More than one in five men report “becoming so sexually aroused that they could not stop themselves from having sex, even though the woman did not consent.”

So according to this study, sexual arousal is definitely a component of sexual assault. And I think we all agree that the way women dress can have an effect on sexual arousal.

 

[jmcrae]

If you’re saying that the incidences of sexual assault would be identical, then I just don’t know male human nature, including the fringe element, as well as I assume I do. What about date-rape and date-rape drugs? Is that only about power and inflicting pain? I don’t think so.

But you can’t really “have sex” with someone who is unconscious, can you? All you can do is hurt their body, so yes, “date rape drugs” are about power and inflicting harm, if not pain at the time.

BTW, does the distribution of women who are sexually assaulted exactly match their distribution in the population, as far as both age and attractiveness? I doubt it. If not, that would suggest that there are factors involved in beyond “looking for someone he can inflict pain on without getting caught”.

Well, the vast majority of rape victims are children and elderly people, so no, it’s not “evenly distributed.” Adult women who look like they can take care of themselves are very seldom targeted for rape.

 

[TarAshly]

Without spending too much more time on this question, I found this quote from a report by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control study of sexual assault:

More than one in five men report “becoming so sexually aroused that they could not stop themselves from having sex, even though the woman did not consent.”

So according to this study, sexual arousal is definitely a component of sexual assault. And I think we all agree that the way women dress can have an effect on sexual arousal.

Thats total garbage! there are plenty of wives who can arouse their husbands to the point of no return, but when their wives say no, husbands stop! at least mine does! you cant justify intense sexual arousal with rape…it doesnt work like that!