Remarks:

BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Senior High School
S.Y. 2022-2023
English for Academic and Professional Purposes

POSITION PAPER: Conservative Attire: Safety?

Name: Deon Shane L. Reynera Course: E.A.P.P

Grade and Section: 12 – St. Odo Date: November 3, 2022

Topic Women dress code

Issue Women will be safer if they dress more conservatively.
Stand Against
Claim/s Mentality of rapists, sexual harassment, and the “proper” choice of clothing
Yes or No question If women dressed up more conservatively, will they be safer or unsafe still?
Argumentative Thesis Wearing conservative clothing does not guarantee the safety of women,
especially on the streets, knowing the mindset of rapists, the prevalence of
sexual harassment, and issues about the “proper” choice of clothing.

People point their fingers at women’s choice of clothing, saying that it is too short or too
revealing, which makes them targets for rape or street harassment. The "short dress" that is two inches
above the knee or even the "revealing" v-neck top that everyone wears is not the problem; rather, it is the
person’s mentality. There are numerous case reports where conservative ladies still get abducted and
raped. Wearing conservative clothing does not guarantee the safety of women, especially when they are
out on the streets, knowing the mindset of rapists, the prevalence of sexual harassment, and issues about
knowing the “proper” choice of clothing.

According to Kawser (2018), "citing clothes as a cause of rape is the result of patriarchal
mentality." Men who commit rape are ordinary human beings who are driven by the desire to dominate
and control women in order to assert their masculinity (Bryden & Madore, 2015). What leads rapists to
believe the things they do may have its roots in the misogynistic upbringing they experienced as children
(Kapadia, 2020). They believe they can violate women in any way because they devalue them. Rape gives
them a way to compensate for and feed their issues with authority, control, and power (Kapadia, 2020).
People tend to victim-blame women when they are raped because of their wardrobe choices, but how
would they justify the fact that even Muslim women are raped when their clothes nearly covers all of their
skin? (Cowan, 2000). Rapists prey on any women they think could quench their desires and fantasies, and
sometimes, when their target tries to resist, it will lead to assault or, in the worst cases, murder (Kapadia,
2020). Unwanted pregnancies are another traumatic event for rape victims, shattering their self-worth and
self-esteem (Lathrop, 1998).

Moreover, according to Guerriero (2015), a victim of sexual assault, clothes are not the reason for
harassment; it is the mentality of people. The idea that women and girls should dress in a way that nearly
completely covers them with cloth implies that it is the victims' responsibility to alter their conduct in
order to avoid becoming the prey. If victim-blaming persists, predators will harass more and more women
because they realize they won't be held accountable (Guerriero, 2015). Sexual harassment could be
verbal, physical, or non-verbal. Commenting on women's appearance, making sexual jokes, or using
endearments that are unpleasant for most girls are examples of verbal sexual harassment; catcalling is the
most prevalent type of verbal harassment. Any unsolicited touching, such as patting, grabbing, rubbing,
pinching, holding, and kissing, is deemed physical sexual harassment. Last but not least, non-verbal
sexual harassment includes following, staring, and stalking, blowing kisses or winking, displaying
sexually graphic videos, and stopping a woman from moving through a doorway or hallway (D'Amore
Law Group, 2020).

Lastly, ladies express themselves through their personal style of clothing. Some believe that
wearing pants and a shirt is the "proper" option of attire. Would it imply that the victim is to blame for the
harassment if the victim refuses to clothe in the "proper" manner? (Guerriero, 2015). Although there is no
right or wrong choice of attire, there is something wrong in certain people's minds. The problem is never
the clothing; it is the mentality.

In conclusion, women will not be safer even if they cover their whole body with fabric. However,
they will be safer if men change and start to respect women. There is nothing wrong with ladies dressing
in a way that makes them feel good about themselves since it is one kind of self-expression. Women do
not have to change the way they dress; rather, men should change the way they see women in dresses.
"Just because a person is sexually aroused, it does not give him the right to attack anyone in sight.
Restraint needs to be taught and practiced; even when a person is sexually excited, they need to keep this
in mind.” (Kawser, 2018).
 REFERENCES

Bryden, D., & Madore, E. (2015). Patriarchy, Sexual Freedom, and Gender Equality as Causes of Rape.
https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/osjcl13&div=20&id=&page= .

Cowan, G. (2000). Women's Hostility Toward Women and Rape and Sexual Harassment Myths.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10778010022181822 .

D’Amore Law Group. (2020). What Are the Different Types of Sexual Harassment?.
https://damorelaw.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-sexual-harassment/ .

Guerriero, J. (2015). Sexual Harassment in the Streets: It’s Not the Clothes. https://sexetc.org/info-
center/post/sexual-harassment-in-the-streets-its-not-the-clothes/ .

Kapadia, R. (2020). 4 Things That Will Take You Inside the Mind of a Rapist. https://medium.com/indian-
thoughts/4-things-that-will-take-you-inside-the-mind-of-a-rapist-12ba678f9c1a .

Kawser, R. (2018). ‘Clothing is in no way the reason for sexual harassment’.

https://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2018/03/31/clothing-no-way-reason-sexual-
harassment .

Lathrop, A. (1998). Pregnancy Resulting From Rape. https://www.jognn.org/article/S0884-

2175(15)33527-9/fulltext .