Disclaimer: This article talks about rape, and could contain other trigger words.
Let’s get one thing straight, women do not dress for you. Women do not dress to please you, or to arouse you. Women dress the way they dress because they feel comfortable with what they’re wearing, or more frankly, because they feel hot.
The idea of rape has been largely publicized within the last couple of years. We’ve heard about it happening in schools, at parties, on the streets, even between family members; and somehow there’s always that one excuse that somebody feels compelled to use -- she was asking for it, all you had to do was look at her outfit.
Wrong. Chances are a woman was asking for it if it was consensual, not if she was wearing a mini skirt and crop top. The idea that a woman could say to you: “Hey, you want to go to my place, have a glass of wine, get a little freaky - or better yet, screw all that let’s go right here right now,” with a simple outfit choice, is ridiculous. I mean, since when have clothes possessed the power to talk?
And that’s not even the worst part.
There are victims who truly believe that it was their fault. There are girls afraid to walk on campus at night because they think their tight jeans may give off the wrong idea. There are girls who cannot look at themselves in the mirror because one time somebody thought her sweatpants and sweatshirt meant she was asking for it. Since when was this okay? We should be embracing women for who they are, not abusing them for what they wear.
A woman’s body is her sanctuary. It’s her safe haven, her canvas, her life, hers. It doesn’t come with a sign that says “open for business”, it comes with a lock and she has the key. If you are incapable of respecting women, then how can you expect them all to bow down to you? Women are not objects. We are not just our bodies. We are lawyers, we are mothers, we are doctors, we are teachers, we are somebody’s daughter -- we are real.
Our society is in need of a change.
We are steps away from legalizing rape because there are men out there that believe it will either help women or help themselves.
One in six women have experienced completed rape, or an attempt of rape.
Approximately, 82 percent of rapes are committed by someone the victim was close to, 18 percent are committed by strangers.
Rape is the most under-reported violent crime in the United States.
Rape is not sex.
Sweatpants do not mean she is asking for it.
Dresses do not mean she is asking for it.
Nudity does not mean she is asking for it.
“No,” does not mean she is asking for it.
And you do not own us.
