Question

In attempting to prevent sexual assault, educators, organizations, and others have often targeted women, focusing on teaching women how to police/modify their own behavior (e.g., don’t go out alone, don’t dress too provocatively)

350 words please

Answer 1

Women have always been blamed and targeted for all kinds of assaults against them. In some countries, educational institutions and workplaces have introduced dress codes to prevent women from getting victimized by acts of violence against them. Since childhood, girls are taught how to talk, how to dress, and how to behave in public. Why aren’t boys taught how to treat women, how to behave with women, or simply how to grow up to be decent men who know how to respect people? Do only women need behavior modification to prevent sexual assaults? Do men have no role to play in sexual assaults against women? I believe that if a man is initiating a sexual assault, it is him that needs behavior modification. If a man finds a woman’s clothes to be provocative, it is him that needs a change of mindset.

There are many cases of sexual harassment where a woman’s clothes have nothing to do with her being assaulted. If a woman dresses in a certain way, it is her choice to dress that way. It is not intended to entice anyone or invite trouble. Similarly, if a woman behaves or talks in a certain way, it does not signal that she is ready to be taken advantage of. It simply means that is her personality. It is important for men to understand this. A woman’s consent is the only permission for a man to touch her. There are no hints in a woman’s behavior or dressing style. Instead of the organizations and the society telling women to not stay out in the nights or to not dress in a certain way, it is important to train men to not objectify women and respect them at any time of the day in any form of clothing.

Women have, since a very long time, bore the brunt of inequality in the society. In some countries, they are still banned from driving, prohibited from taking part in certain sports, and even prevented from entering certain religious places. Let’s not take at least their freedom to wear what they want to or behave how they want to.