My dress is not my consent- by blogger Snehal Gajare

I wonder why, I wonder how, I lie in this social bog of humiliation.

I know I’m sinking deep but I want to stay afloat and reach more solid ground.

My body is numb; I feel sad, extreme pain running across my veins,

And my perpetrator is walking away after hunting me like a prey........ .......Thoughts of a rape victim

“Provocative clothing” invites men to rape - A well tailored, long lasting myth which is an outcome of misogynist attitude towards women.  In simple language, clothes do not cause rape but rapists do. If so, why are kids raped? Kids do not wear any provocative clothes. So let’s admit it; a woman is not raped because of the clothes she wears, she is raped because a sick minded predator has such intent. Women draped in saris, salwar-kameez, burqas, wearing business attires like pant suits are also raped. A woman has an equal right of choosing to wear what she likes, just as a man does. Such pitiful excuses condemning women’s clothing for rape is utterly pathetic and sexist.

To prevent a potential attack, it is the responsibility of a woman to dress modestly. Isn't it the responsibility of the potential offender to curb his sexual desires that can ruin someone’s life forever? Such irrelevant impositions from the society tend to give a wrong message to the teenagers; especially the girls. Most of the girls think rather believe that it is their fault if they are raped. This is how society transfers the blame from the offender to that of the victim (by blaming her dressing). Is this fair? Why do girls have to grow up believing this stupid myth that provocative dressing causes rape?  Any sane person with a reasonable bent of mind should be able to control and curb his desires. This is something that the society needs to start preaching.

It’s more devastating to know that some conservative political leaders across the globe don’t even feel the need to condemn such social evils in the society. Instead, the political platform is used to make unreasonable, irritating and unacceptable statements against women and rape victims. Such unchallenged social attitudes coupled with unfair laws and molded stereotypical gender roles often relegate the status of a woman. Low conviction rates, high incidence of rape and the existence of a sexist blame culture are a triangular set of problems that the society and the government need to address at the first instance.