Week 1-2: Day 2&3: argumentative essay

Women doesn’t have to dress modestly to be respected or ‘avoid’ rape

“Don’t teach women how to dress, teach men not to rape” Maria Clara was fully clothed when she was
raped, she was fully conscious of what was happening to her and yet she still got attacked. Rape is
immoral and morbid; rapists will always be rapists and nothing can change that. You, dressing modestly
won’t do anything to avoid getting raped.

There are around 800 rape victims in the Philippines each year. How can you be sure that all of them are
wearing revealing clothes? According to PSA’s violence study in 2019, 637 children are victim of sexual
abuse. Hence, can we say that those children dress ‘inappropriately’?

Maria Clara, the epitome of virtue, wearing a traje de mestiza was raped inside the convent by a priest!
A priest who serves the Lord and knows that rape is godforsaken still committed rape. Studies show that
women who wears dress in layers, long pants and sleeves and high necklines, with passive personalities
are more likely to be raped. And this, I think, is a proof that no matter how modestly you dress a rapist
will always be a rapist.

In one study, 1 out of 3 college men said that they would force someone to have sex with them if they
can get away with it, and that has nothing to do with clothing. This shows that if men have pure
intentions towards a woman, then rape will be avoided. I have a relative who is a victim of rape and the
worst thing is that her own father is the culprit. She dresses modestly, she’s the most modest among us
all. So how can you say that dressing modestly avoid rape?

Imagine putting a modestly dressed woman inside a room full of rapists, do you think her modest dress
will stop the rapists from raping her? How about putting a woman wearing revealing clothes inside a
room full of respectful men, do you think they will touch her inappropriately? I bet not. You see, rapists
will rape no matter what the circumstances are. Although by dressing appropriately you can gain
respect, but I guess that respect isn’t enough to stop rapists from committing rape.

To sum it all up, I am saying that clothing doesn’t give ‘consent’ to rape someone. Instead of teaching us
to dress modestly, try teaching men to respect and not to rape. Stop victim blaming, rape is caused by
rapists and not by anything else, not by our way of dressing, not by being modest, not by anything. Men
should be protecting us women and not see us as a prey they can devour anytime.