Rape, and what you wear.....do you think wearing revealing clothing increases the chance

Contributor: Selective Sensualist Selective Sensualist
Quote:
Originally posted by sarahbear
"Date" rape (and I happen to agree with Hal Sparks who says the 'date' is over when the raping begins) has nothing to do with how attractive a man (or woman) finds their date. They're not choosing the prettiest girl (or guy) in ... more
Very, VERY well-stated indeed.
10/02/2010
Contributor: The Giveaway Diva The Giveaway Diva
It is horrible to think that someone can't express themselves though what they choose to wear in the fear that if they are raped that they will be accused of provoking it by what they wear. I mean the rapist should be the one on trial not the victim! Haven't they suffered enough.
10/02/2010
Contributor: RosesThorns RosesThorns
Rape isnt about sex, its about control and asserting dominance, so No I really dont think that what you wear increases your chances of getting raped.
11/02/2010
Contributor: SomewhatSomewhere SomewhatSomewhere
No one asks to be raped. Wear what you want. You don't deserve to be raped because of your choice of clothing.
11/02/2010
Contributor: Pandahb Pandahb
I feel like rapist are mentally ill, and don't go by the same standards as some one who believes that rape is wrong. So I also don't think that rapist care about "what" the person is wearing, they are just looking for a "target"

I am sad that this was flagged as this is a very important issue. People don't want to talk about rape, but not talking about it is so much worse. Thank you for posting this discussion.
11/03/2010
Contributor: PussyGalore PussyGalore
Are we talking stranger danger here or date rape? Because there is a huge huge difference.

When it comes to stranger danger, I don't think clothing matters in the slightest bit.

When it comes to date rape, I think it's a signal to the guy that the girl might be a little "easier" than most and coupled with her actions it can lead to very bad things. And what I mean by that, before someone jumps down my throat, is women are notorious cock teases. If the wrong guy is teased and he is shot down, that makes him angry. This can lead to violence and rape.

My sister was date raped by a guy we had known for YEARS. He thought she was super easy because she worked at a cocktail club and wore tiny outfits at work but ultimately she was extremely conservative - and a virgin. He didn't stop when she said no because she had been sending him signals all night long that she wanted to play.

What he did was wrong, dead wrong. And it messed her up for years and years. She stopped dressing that way and she stopped running her mouth. In a way, I kind of think he saved her life. There's no telling what kind of trouble she would have found herself in if she had continued the way she was going. She's a cautionary tale.
01/21/2011
Contributor: 34 34
nothing you wear or don't wear will increase the "chance" of being sexually assaulted.
Its entirely the offenders fault.
even a chastity belt wont stop you from being sexually assaulted.
01/21/2011
Contributor: KikiChrome KikiChrome
I'm actually really glad to see that the vast majority of posts on this subject have been squarely in the "her clothing does not mean she's asking for it" pile. If only the rest of the world was as enlightened.

For me, I think the assumption that clothing makes a difference is offensive to both men AND women. On one hand, it implies that rape victims are at least partly responsible for someone's completely unexpected and unwanted attack. On the other, it implies that men are basically all sex-fiends who are completely incapable of controlling themselves. It works on the theory that an average guy can see an attractive woman, get aroused... and then absolutely HAVE to penetrate her, no matter what she says or does. I don't believe for a moment that most men think that way. We all have fantasies, and we've probably all misread signals at some point, but that doesn't make someone a rapist.

Rapists look for opportunity and easy targets. Some (a minority) have a particular "type" of victim that they target, but most will just take what they can get. This is as true for stranger rapes as it is for date rapes. It's not about sexual desire, it's about power and humiliation.

For what it's worth, I was raped by someone I was in a relationship with. We already had a sexual relationship. If he wanted to act out of sexual desire, then that need could easily be filled... But what he actually wanted was to punish a woman and see her suffer. I happened to be the easiest target for him, because I was there and because he figured out how to control me.

Did I blame myself for sending him "signals"? Sure. I blamed myself for years... but the fact is he took something consensual and deliberately turned it into something non-consensual, for no other reason than that he really hated women. That's what rapists do. He wasn't looking for consensual sex. He could have had that much more easily.

I think, for me, it's sad that rape still carries this "blame the victim" mentality a lot of the time. If someone burgled my house, the police wouldn't care if it was painted a particularly "provocative" color! It wouldn't matter if my huge TV was visible through the front window. A burglary is still a burglary, regardless.

We protect ourselves against crime by making it more difficult for the criminal to act. In a burglary, I'd do well to have a good lock and a big dog. In rape and sexual assault, it usually comes down to self-confidence and avoiding situations where you're going to be alone with someone you don't know. Those things aren't absolute protections, but they're a good start. And, well... in my opinion, blaming the victim's clothing makes it EASIER for rapists to do what they do. It makes it less likely that a victim will report them. It makes women nervous and fearful. It's a habit that we really need to stop.
02/15/2011
Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
Quote:
Originally posted by usmcwife99
Most men are not rapists but some are. Untill every rapist or sexual preditor is off the street its not a good idea to walk down the street naked if you have common sense.


I dissagree, with that jumping out of the bushes is practicly a ... more
I agree with you. I am absolutely aware that rape is about power and rarely about sex. Also that clothing does not necessarily need to be sexy to attract negative attention. However, getting angry at people who think that certain types of clothing MAY predispose a person to being assaulted, because women should be able to wear whatever they want? If you are going to pull that shit then you need to be equally pissed of at the people who say that being unaware of your surroundings and walking around by yourself at night could also be factors. These people are not (in 99% of cases) blaming the victim in any way shape or form. People should not have to worry about being raped (women, men, children, the elderly, NOBODY). Unfortunately, there are rapists out there, and trying to safeguard yourself against them is the best practice. Denying that clothing may at times be a factor in rape, is just stupid. It is like telling women that there is no reason to be careful about something, because they SHOULDn't have to be, not because they DON'T have to be.

I'm sorry but if you go out drinking barely clothed and walk home drunk, alone, through a deserted area of town, with headphones on your chances of being raped are considerably higher than if you had not made those decisions. That does not mean that you are asking to be raped. NOBODY ASKS TO BE RAPED. But if you don't realize you are putting yourself in a dangerous situation you are not being smart.

Again I would like to say that NO victim is responsible for being raped. EVEN when they put themselves in incredibly dangerous situations. RAPE IS A HORRIBLE HORRIBLE THING, and my heart goes out to every woman who has ever been assaulted or raped. I have been in a situation where I have been pressured into having sex, to the point where it could definitely be considered rape. I was heavily under the influence and made it clear ahead of time that I was not interested and did not want to have sex. I eventually gave up trying to talk my way out of the situation because I felt that it was pointless. In my case the guy was turned on by the fact that I am bi. Even though I had not had any interaction with a woman in front of him. It was the IDEA that interested him.
Was I to blame for not hiding that? Certainly not, He was a fucking douche. Rapists are assholes, they are horrible people and only THEY alone are responsible for the rape. It is OUR responsibility to try and protect ourselves, unfortunately we have to.
02/15/2011
Contributor: UnknownGirl UnknownGirl
I honestly have no idea. I wouldn't even want to assume what a rapist is thinking before they act. But, as with anything else, I sure there are many variables involved. One of which could possibly be clothing (or lack thereof). I'm sure each case is different, and what holds true for one sick and depraved individual may not hold true for the next.
02/15/2011
Contributor: Ms. Paprika Ms. Paprika
I don't think it's clothing that is the deciding factor, or even a contributing factor. In my opinion, rapists look for women they think will be easy targets-it's a power thing. If a woman is wearing a miniskirt, but looks like she is confident and will fight, she probably won't be as likely to be targeted as a woman who may be wearing very conservative clothing, but looks scared and walks with her head down. (I'm saying women because most [reported] survivors are female)
Also, the stereotype of the guy who jumps out of a dark alley is just that-most rapists are known to the person they targeted.
06/14/2011
Contributor: Ms. Paprika Ms. Paprika
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I think that is like saying a man who has a nice watch or owns an expensive suit should never wear it in public because it will "increase his chances" of being mugged. NOBODY blames a mugging victim. It is also a fallacy that clothing ... more
I totally agree with your comment about being mugged and how we treat mugging victims differently. Thank you.
06/14/2011
Contributor: Linga Linga
As far as I'm concerned rape is about power not about sex, it's about degrading the victim and exerting power over them. So no I don't think clothing plays a role in most rape cases but there are always exceptions to the rule as with anything else.
06/14/2011
Contributor: That Man from Mars That Man from Mars
Not all rapists are motivated by the attractiveness of someone, but I really, really doubt that wearing such clothing as shown in the reference pics isn't going to garner such attention. I don't ever see women dressed that way unless they are prostitutes. I could see a man approaching a woman dressed like that, assuming she's a prostitute, and things moving along from there. Prostitutes do tend to get raped pretty often I'm afraid.

I do think that clothing shouldn't matter, but if you look that way then it's only logical (for people) to assume you are 'easier' and thus puts sex more on the mind. But again, most rapists aren't in it for getting off, but more for power.
06/14/2011
Contributor: That Man from Mars That Man from Mars
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
This is all true for standard rape and a certain type of rapists but, honestly, the majority of rapes are date rapes or sexual assaults that don't include penetration or even the attempt at it; groping in a bar, having your ass grabbed. Most of ... more
You pretty much summed up what I was thinking.
06/14/2011
Contributor: Gigi128 Gigi128
I think that rape could happen to anyone, but it does make you more vulnerable with the clothes you wear.
07/31/2011
Contributor: Sex'и'Violence Sex'и'Violence
Yes, I think that dressing seductively can increase your chances of being raped, but that's more because you are putting yourself on the radar than anything else. Dressing more conservatively shouldn't be treated as a solution. Ultimately a woman should be able to wear whatever she wants and not have to worry about whether or not she's going to be raped.
07/31/2011
Contributor: Eucaly Eucaly
Considering that nuns, old women and babies get targeted by rapists who often claim that the clothing attracted them, no, there's no way.
09/07/2011
Contributor: Eliza Eliza
Not going through all the posts, but there was a study done that claims that only 4% of rapists remember what their victims are wearing at the time of the rape.

So I'd say no, clothing plays a very little role. The only factor that has any bearing is the rapists decision to rape someone.
09/14/2011
Contributor: mizzmilla mizzmilla
It doesn't matter what you wear, it should increase or decrease your chance of being raped.
09/14/2011
Contributor: Papershotglass Papershotglass
Oh ho ho ho....this is a tricksy topic.
To touch with 10 foot pole or not...

Meh, I got the time.

A couple years back, a family member was raped by her boyfriend (a co-worker) at her job.
"Well, what was she wearing Mistress Paper?" you ask.
"Ah, well, that's a tricky thing to answer. It was her job uniform, but she was a lifeguard for a pool, so it was a bathing suit," I reply.
Did she deserve that? No. Did she ask for it? Nope.
To the rapist, it didn't matter what she was wearing, it was time to violate basic human rights and her clothing (or almost lack thereof) didn't matter.
It was about control and power. Nothing more, nothing less.
09/14/2011
Contributor: Beck Beck
Having certain hair color can trigger the rapist. Like if they are looking for someone who reminds them of someone they know. So I think that for sure the clothes you are wearing make a difference. It really depends on what the rapist is looking for. There are some that go for grannies and other that go for the girl who appears to be easy(at least dressed that way), when she says no they get carried away. It really does not matter what you are wearing they if you fit their victim profile, you run the risk of being their victim. I do think that is some cases when you dress a certain way, in that persons(the rapist) head it is inviting. I think you are aksing for trouble when you dress this way, which is why I do not outside of the bedroom.
09/16/2011
Contributor: emilia emilia
Quote:
Originally posted by usmcwife99
I first want to say at no time is rape ok, nor is there ever any excuses. It is a crime and personally should be punished highly because its deffinitly wrong in my book. Please do not think I think its ok because its not. I have been there and I feel ... more
Rape is not really about sex it is about power. so wearing something sexy is not a cause and really the person that got rape it is not what they wear that cause the rape
09/24/2011
Contributor: LadyDarknezz LadyDarknezz
I voted no for multiple reasons:

I was molested as a child and didn't wear such things.

When I was sexually assaulted as a teen, I never dressed provocatively; I dressed very conservatively, yet it did not matter. Horrible people like rapists take what they want whenever they want it, and I can relate to anyone out there that's been through the stuff girls and women like me had to go through.

One thing I hate is how popular the term 'rape' has become when referring to video games,etc. Like when someone says, "Oh, I totally raped that dude since my character is higher leveled." People really should think about how insensitive such statements are and I hear such terms quite often.
09/24/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by LadyDarknezz
I voted no for multiple reasons:

I was molested as a child and didn't wear such things.

When I was sexually assaulted as a teen, I never dressed provocatively; I dressed very conservatively, yet it did not matter. Horrible people ... more
Lady - it makes me really sad to hear what you have gone through. I applaud your courage to tell us what happened. We're praying for your healing.
09/24/2011
Contributor: LadyDarknezz LadyDarknezz
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
Lady - it makes me really sad to hear what you have gone through. I applaud your courage to tell us what happened. We're praying for your healing.
Thanks for the prayers! Yes, it used to be really hard for me to talk about it, but I'm not going to let those horrible instances in my life determine my self-worth. Talking about it to others actually made me feel better most of the time.
09/24/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by LadyDarknezz
Thanks for the prayers! Yes, it used to be really hard for me to talk about it, but I'm not going to let those horrible instances in my life determine my self-worth. Talking about it to others actually made me feel better most of the time.
We're with you all the way
09/25/2011
Contributor: Defi Enyo Defi Enyo
Quote:
Originally posted by LadyDarknezz
I voted no for multiple reasons:

I was molested as a child and didn't wear such things.

When I was sexually assaulted as a teen, I never dressed provocatively; I dressed very conservatively, yet it did not matter. Horrible people ... more
I know how hard it is to talk about that.I was kidnapped when I was 11 and beaten then sexually assaulted.
Rapists are horrible people who's souls are obviously already in hell getting their do by Satan for what they did.I think that in almost all crimes there are cases that excuse the criminal (ex;stealing for food,murder for self defense) but rape is something I can't think of a single good reason for.Rapist use it as a tool to humiliate,dispirit, torture and feel dominant.If I EVER find the guy that hurt me I would personally see to it that he gets drawn and quartered all the way to hell.
09/25/2011
Contributor: Kkay Kkay
09/25/2011
Contributor: LadyDarknezz LadyDarknezz
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
We're with you all the way
Yay! I'm glad I'm feeling the love from this community! Thank you so much !
09/25/2011