Have your say

Dress

Not justification.

It doesn't matter if a woman wears a short skirt, a skimpy dress, or revealing clothes. It doesn't matter if we've drank too much and can barely walk straight. Why? Simple. We have a right to wear what we want, to dance, to drink, and go out with friends, just as we have a right to choose who we have sex with and if we want to have sex. What we wear or how much we've had to drink will never justify rape. If a woman says no, then she's not giving consent; when we say the word no or express that we're not interested, it doesn't actually mean 'yes' and we're not being coy. By saying that women are 'asking for it' and that their choices lead to them being raped is absurd and insulting. It doesn't matter if we're naked and walking down the street in broad daylight; it will never be okay to take advantage of someone. Women make their own choices, and whether it's what they wear or who they sleep with, it's their right to make those choices. The choice to rape someone and rob them of those choices will never be okay or justified by the words, "She was asking for it."

Author: Whitney, Female, Illinois
Date: 25/01/2011

Return to forum

Have your say

“Rape seems to be the only crime where it's seen as ok to put the victim on trial.”

Natasha, Female from Glasgow

“Short skirts don't cause rape. Rapists cause rape”

Joss, Female from Connecticut

“About time something like this was shown on TV. Hopefully it will make everyone realise there cannot be any excuse for rape - EVER.”

Helzo, Female from Renfrewshire