DISMANTLING THE DRESS CODE MYTH: WHY CLOTHING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

 

Sexual violence remains one of society's most devastating crimes, inflicting deep emotional, psychological, and social scars that long outlast physical trauma. Although people have worked hard for a long time to raise awareness and educate others, incorrect and harmful beliefs about sexual assault are still common. Among the most pervasive and damaging is the myth that a person's clothing can cause or invite rape. 

According to the World Health Organization and the United Nations, the notion that "revealing" or "indecent" attire signals consent is not only entirely false, but it also dangerously shifts accountability away from perpetrators and places the blame squarely on victims.  

Therefore, to dismantle rape culture, we must examine why clothing is completely irrelevant to sexual violence, expose the roots of victim-blaming, and shift our focus entirely toward consent, accountability, and systemic cultural change. 

 

Understanding Rape: 

According to Wikipedia, Rape is a serious form of sexual assault involving forced or non-consensual sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration. The act is typically committed through the use of physical force, coercion, or abuse of authority, or against someone who is unable to give valid consent (such as due to incapacitation, intoxication, unconsciousness, or young age).

It is now clear that rape is a crime of power, not fashion. It is never an issue of clothing or physical attraction. Fundamentally, it is an exercise of power and control, and a deliberate violation of another person's autonomy. Perpetrators make a conscious decision to commit violence, entirely independent of what the victim is wearing. 

 

This article aims to denounce the actions of Odogwu Asaba, who was accused by the late Favour, a twenty-year-old woman, of raping her. According to accounts circulating on social media, particularly Facebook, Favour visited Odogwu Asaba, a self-proclaimed content creator who offers online classes on how to monetize social media platforms. Upon her arrival in Asaba, Odogwu Asaba met with Favour and took her to a nearby hotel, supposedly for the content creation session. However, at the hotel, Odogwu Asaba allegedly raped Favour despite her attempts to resist in order to preserve her virginity. After returning to her home in Warri, Delta State, Favour tragically ended her life by ingesting a chemical substance, overwhelmed by the trauma she endured.

The question now is: If clothing truly causes sexual assault, then people who dress conservatively or modestly would never become victims. However, history and endless testimonies prove the exact opposite. Survivors have been assaulted while wearing school uniforms, business suits, and professional attire; religious garments (such as hijabs or habits), jeans, and loose pajamas.  

This overwhelming diversity of clothing makes one reality clear: clothing neither protects against sexual violence nor does it provoke it. Rape is dictated solely by a perpetrator's choice to harm another human being.

 

The Roots and Persistence of Victim-Blaming:

The myth that clothing causes rape is deeply embedded in victim-blaming culture. When society focuses on what a victim did to "provoke" an attack rather than asking why the perpetrator committed a crime, it shifts the burden of responsibility. This myth persists for several key reasons:

A False Sense of Security: People desperately want to believe the world is predictable. The idea that following certain rules—like dressing modestly or avoiding walking alone at night—can keep someone safe provides a comforting, yet entirely false, sense of control.  

Media Influence and Cultural Conditioning:

Popular culture, music, and advertising often portray women's fashion in a hyper-sexualized manner, perpetuating the harmful belief that a woman’s appearance signals sexual availability. The late Favour was shown dancing in a ‘provocative’ way on social media, leading some to argue that her dancing was an invitation for forceful advances. Can you believe that? Many societies raise girls to feel responsible for managing men's behavior, teaching them to dress defensively while failing to adequately educate boys on respecting autonomy.   

Patriarchal Control:

Weaponizing clothing choices serves as a tool to police women's bodies, restrict their personal freedom, and maintain systemic inequality.  

THE CORE REALITY IS THAT CONSENT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE

The only factor that differentiates a consensual sexual act from rape is consent. Clothing, location, and behavior are completely irrelevant. True consent must be clear, voluntary, and enthusiastic. It can never be assumed based on silence, compliance, or an outfit.  

Societal victim-blaming yields severe repercussions.

It creates a culture of shame and apprehension, actively discouraging survivors from seeking justice or reporting offenses. Concurrently, it shields perpetrators from accountability, amplifies the psychological trauma of survivors, and normalizes sexual violence. This is indeed a global issue. Whether in conservative societies where full-body coverings are mandatory or in liberal societies with diverse fashion choices, sexual violence still occurs. The common denominator across the globe is never the clothing; it is always the perpetrator's decision to assault.

Shifting the Narrative Toward True Change: 

To eradicate this dangerous myth and significantly reduce sexual violence, we must commit to a total cultural transformation. This requires action on multiple fronts:

  

Comprehensive Consent Education: parents and guidance should teach children from an early age that personal autonomy is absolute and non-negotiable.

  

Perpetrator Accountability: Shifting the legal, social, and media focus entirely onto the actions of the criminal rather than the wardrobe of the victim. 

Media Accountability: Challenging industries to stop equating a person’s style or expression with sexual availability.

Unwavering Survivor Support: for survivors of rape, we should endeavour to build legal, psychological, and social systems that prioritize compassion, justice, and safe spaces for victims.

Conclusion

It is time to retire the clothing excuse permanently. While personal style may influence everyday social perceptions, it never excuses, justifies, or causes sexual violence. Rape is caused exclusively by rapists. By outright rejecting the clothing myth, we take a vital step toward dismantling rape culture, supporting survivors, and fostering a society rooted in mutual respect and explicit consent. Respect matters, consent matters- clothing does not.

 * Image generate by AI