Dear Editor,
Recently the comments of the Commander of ‘A’ Division, Mr Clifton Hicken regarding the topic of rape have stirred a great deal of comment and condemnation from individual women and women’s rights groups, amongst others.
As I understand it, Mr Hicken stated that young women should dress in a conservative manner, so as not to attract the attention of would be rapists. The response has been that Mr Hicken has no understanding of rape, women’s rights, etc, and that he should resign forthwith. I even heard on television one woman saying that if a woman wants to walk down the street naked, that is her business.
Well, well, well! First off, an observation and a question. Why is it that many mothers in Guyana and the world over would say to their daughters ‘dress decently like a young lady when you step out of this house.’ In some cases mothers even admonish their daughters and tell them to change the clothes that they have on, because what they are wearing was not appropriate or too revealing.
Next the question, appropriate for whom? Why don’t some mothers say to their daughters it is okay, wear what you want, it is your body and your right?
One of the undisputed facts of life is that certain actions beget certain reactions, sometimes positively or negatively, depending on the circumstances. If a man or woman ventures into an area known for its crime, on their own, and worse yet, late at night and they are attacked by a thief, rapist or some other type of criminal, that outcome to some extent is predictable.
In the Caribbean it is also an undisputed fact that if a woman walks down the road dressed in a short miniskirt or figure-hugging type of attire, not only would she attract attention (the world over) but lewd comments, wolf whistles and of course sexist, loutish, demeaning behaviour from certain types of men (not the world over). Almost certainly in most developed countries, men who engage in that behaviour are likely to find themselves, and quite rightly so, in trouble with the law for sexual harassment, in the workplace.
Practically all societies the world over have in their midst men who are predators, and who target women young or old. Once the opportunity arises for them and the women are vulnerable, they are literally fair game. In many documented cases, these predators are relatively decent looking men, who do not fit a particular profile (broken home, depressed childhood, etc). Despite what a woman is wearing she could be targeted by a predator/rapist. No doubt about it.
However, my understanding of Mr Hicken’s comments is that a woman’s dress code could be a contributing factor that triggers the interest and subsequent criminal mindset and behaviour of a rapist.
There is a huge difference between the words ‘contribute’ and ‘condone.’ I heard many women saying that Mr Hicken’s comments were condoning the behaviour of a rapist. I don’t think so.
Many women are highly indignant and have said a woman should be able to wear what she wants without interference from men. I could not agree more; however, it does not change the fact that for some type of men, a woman dressed in a particular way contributes in triggering a perverse action in what is already a depraved mind.
Let us not forget about the dress code of men either. If a young man is being introduced to the parents of his girlfriend, wife to be, etc, for the first time, what impression is he likely to create if he turns up with a baseball cap turned backwards on his head, wearing a vest or with his shirt open, multi-coloured Bermuda shorts and a cheap pair of slippers on his feet.
He could say it is my right as a man to dress how I want; nobody should form an opinion of me because of how I am dressed. Indeed they should not. However they will. It is a fact of life. It is the impression, wrongly or rightly that is being created.
In the case of scantily clad young women, because she is a woman, it is not just the problem of an impression, unfortunately; I believe for a potential rapist it could be a trigger.
Let thinking heads prevail.
Yours faithfully,
Kevin A Joseph
