A victim of rape is never guilty of their own assault, they never have and never will. but this is something that apparently has gone unregistered in Peru’s most senior Catholic cleric, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani's mind. According to him rape wouldn't happen if a woman wouldn't dress so provocatively "like if they where part of a window display". Because it is apparent, to him at least, that the reason a woman get's raped is her appearance. This is why I want you to read about these following women.
1. Meet twitter user @flippernaut
She was one of many women that a few years ago answered to singer-songwritter Chisette Michele's tweet asking women who have been victims of rape what thy where wearing. @flippernaut was wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, and a cap. I don't know about you but sweatshirt and jeans don't really scream provocative do they? (her tweet)
2. Meet Katherine Cambareri
Katherine is a professional photographer, who after reading Missoula by Jon Krakauer, decided to base her thesis project around the extremely pointless question of "what were you wearing?" that victims of sexual assault and rape get asked in almost every single instance. She reached out to victims via Facebook and asked them if she could take pictures of what they were wearing. this was part of the result:
3. Let me introduce you to "Not your fault" by teen Vogue
Not Your Fault is a "campaign that aims to educate people about the epidemic of sexual assault." It again is a campaign designed to steer people away from the same ideologies as those of Cardinal Cipriani, that the way a woman is dressed is what is faulty when it comes to sexual assault. With the help of RAINN and photographer Ashley Armitage Teen Vogue got in contact with several victims and shipped the articles of clothing they where wearing at the time of their assault. Again, here is the result:
"Plain gray sweatpants, and an oversized hoodie" ... "I had no makeup on."
"overalls, a striped shirt, and white sneakers"
"bootcut jeans, black ballet flats, and (because it was Election Day) a pin."
I think it is pretty clear that sexual assault does not occur merely because a woman looked "too attractive" or "she dressed like she was asking for it". The reality is that women do not get assaulted because of how they are dressed, but for the mere fact that they are women. If someone is so perverted as to commit sexual assault it really wouldn't matter if she was wearing a croptop and a miniskirt or a potatosack, she would still get raped because what "matters" to the attacker is what is "under" the clothes not the clothes themselves. So I think it is about time we get our heads out of the idea of finding "how was the victim involved in the assault" and more into finding a way to put the sick pervert where he belongs.
